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Portugal - Mobile Infrastructure, Broadband, Operators - Statistics and Analyses

Synopsis

The Portuguese mobile market is dominated by the incumbent Altice Portugal, owned by Altice Group and operating under the MEO moniker, although it remains under pressure from the other network operators Vodafone Portugal and NOS. The MVNO market remains largely undeveloped, partly because network operators have their own low-cost brands. Collectively, MVNOs have about 2.1% share of the market.

Population coverage by 3G infrastructure is universal and so most investment has been directed to LTE and to incremental upgrades to network infrastructure. Operators have trialled 5G technologies, with a view to launching commercial services in late 2020.

This report profiles Portugal’s mobile market, providing statistics on network operators, a review of the key regulatory issues, a snapshot of the consumer market, and an analysis of mobile data services.

Key developments:

  • Regulator sets schedule for release of 700MHz spectrum for 5G use;
  • Vodafone achieves 1Gb/s downlink speeds in LTE-A trials;
  • Decline in SMS traffic in wake of messaging alternatives;
  • NOS trialling NB-IoT;
  • M-payment solution developments;
  • Report update includes the regulator’s market data to Q4 2018, telcos’ operating and financial data to Q1 2019, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

MEO (TMN, Portugal Telecom), NOS (Optimus, Zon Multimedia), Vodafone Portugal, CTT, Lycamobile.

Table of Contents

  • Market analysis

  • Mobile statistics

    • General statistics

  • Mobile infrastructure

    • 5G
    • 4G (LTE)
    • 3G

  • Machine-to-Machine (M2M)

  • Internet-of-Things (IoT)

  • Mobile voice

  • Mobile data

    • Short Message Service (SMS)
    • Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS)

  • Mobile broadband

  • Regulatory issues

    • Spectrum regulations and spectrum auctions
      • GSM licence renewal
      • 3G
      • 3G at 900MHz
      • 450MHz
      • 700MHz
      • 800MHz
      • 3.4GHz
      • 2.6GHz and 800MHz
    • Roaming
    • Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
    • Mobile Termination Rates (MTRs)
    • Network sharing

  • Major mobile operators

    • MEO
    • Vodafone Portugal
    • NOS (Zon Optimus)
    • Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)

  • Mobile content and applications

    • M-payments

  • Appendix – Historic data

  • Related reports


List of Tables

  • Table 1 – Multiband auction results – 2012
  • Table 2 – MTRs – 2009 – 2012; 2016 – 2018
  • Table 3 – Mobile subscribers and penetration – 2000 – 2009
  • Table 4 – Accumulated mobile number portings – 2002 – 2008
  • Table 5 – Outgoing mobile calls and traffic volume – 2002 – 2009
  • Table 6 – Mobile broadband revenue – 2007 – 2015

List of Charts

  • Chart 1 – Evolution of mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 2010 - 2023
  • Chart 2 – Development of mobile sector revenue – 2015 – 2018
  • Chart 3 – Steady market share among mobile operators – 2004 – 2018
  • Chart 4 – Change in outgoing mobile calls and traffic volume – 2009 – 2018
  • Chart 5 – Change in mobile prepaid subscribers, proportion prepaid – 20010 – 2018
  • Chart 6 – Decline in mobile ARPU – 2010 – 2019
  • Chart 7 – Long-term drop in 3G video calls and traffic – 2007 – 2017
  • Chart 8 – Strong growth in M2M subscriptions – 2012 – 2018
  • Chart 9 – M2M sessions and traffic – 2013 – 2017
  • Chart 10 – Continuing strong growth in mobile internet traffic – 2007 – 2018
  • Chart 11 – Decline in SMS messages sent annually – 2009 – 2018
  • Chart 12 – Decline in SMS messages per subscriber sent quarterly (Q4) – 2007 – 2018
  • Chart 13 – Decline in MMS messages per subscriber – 2007 – 2017
  • Chart 14 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2009 – 2023
  • Chart 15 – Roaming in call traffic volume and messages – 2009 – 2018
  • Chart 16 – Evolution of MEO’s mobile subscriber base – 2006 – 2019
  • Chart 17 – Change in MEO’s mobile revenue – 2010 – 2019
  • Chart 18 – Change in MEO’s revenue by quarter – 2016 – 2019
  • Chart 19 – Change in Vodafone Portugal subscribers, proportion prepaid – 2006 – 2019
  • Chart 20 – Vodafone monthly ARPU: prepaid, contract and blended – 2009 – 2019
  • Chart 21 – Change in Vodafone financial data (year to Mar) – 2007 – 2019
  • Chart 22 – Evolution in NOS’s mobile subscriber base – 2009 – 2019

Related Reports

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Focus Report Profile

Technologies

Mobile & Wireless Broadband and Media
Mobile Communications (voice and infrastructure)
Strategies & Analyses (Industry & Markets)

Number of pages 49

Status Current

Last updated 24 Jul 2019
Update History

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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