Puerto Rico - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Last updated: 23 Apr 2020 Update History

Report Pages: 103

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Puerto Ricans receiving near national 5G coverage

Puerto Rico’s telecom market has been deeply affected in recent years by a combination of economic mismanagement and natural disasters, including two hurricanes which landed in late 2017 and an earthquake which struck in January 2020. The general destruction following the hurricanes led to a marked decline in the number of subscribers for all services, while straightened economic circumstances forced many people not to resume telecom services after these were restored. After some delay, the FCC in late 2019 issued an order relating to the release of funds to help rebuild telecom infrastructure.

Although Puerto Rico is a US territory it lags well behind the mainland US states in terms of fixed-line and broadband penetration. This is partly due to high unemployment rates (and consequently low disposable income) and poor telecoms investment in a market largely dominated by the incumbent Puerto Rico Telephone Company. The activities of the US-based telcos, including T-Mobile US, Sprint and AT&T continue to impact on the Puerto Rican market. This has recently been seen in these operators securing spectrum in the 600MHz, expanding the reach of LTE services and launching services based on 5G.

The Puerto Rico Telephone Company’s fixed-line market dominance was augmented following its acquisition by the largest wireless company in Latin America, América Móvil. In contrast, the mobile (cellular/wireless) market, with six network operators, has been experiencing more robust competition and growth. Although América Móvil’s Claro briefly took the lead from AT&T Mobility in terms of subscriber numbers, AT&T regained the top position following its acquisition of Centennial Communications. In early 2017 Sprint and Open Wireless agreed to merge their networks in a bid to offer better market competition by increasing their scale and combining spectrum holdings.

The acquisition by Liberty Global of the remaining cable TV operator Choice Cable, completed in mid-2015, created a monopoly player in this sector. Liberty Cablevisión, now wholly-owned by Liberty Global’s LLA division, is in a stronger position to capitalise on scale, and so provide improved services based on greater investment and on the use of technology based on the DOCSIS3.1 standard. Liberty Cablevisión has also become better placed in the bundled service market following LLA’s acquisition of AT&T’s wireless and wireline units in Puerto Rico. The deal is expected to complete by mid-2020.

BuddeComm notes that the outbreak of the Coronavirus in 2020 is having a significant impact on production and supply chains globally. During the coming year the telecoms sector to various degrees is likely to experience a downturn in mobile device production, while it may also be difficult for network operators to manage workflows when maintaining and upgrading existing infrastructure. Overall progress towards 5G may be postponed or slowed down in some countries.

On the consumer side, spending on telecoms services and devices is under pressure from the financial effect of large-scale job losses and the consequent restriction on disposable incomes. However, the crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, will offset such pressures. In many markets the net effect should be a steady though reduced increased in subscriber growth.

Although it is challenging to predict and interpret the long-term impacts of the crisis as it develops, these have been acknowledged in the industry forecasts contained in this report.

The report also covers the responses of the telecom operators as well as government agencies and regulators as they react to the crisis to ensure that citizens can continue to make optimum use of telecom services. This can be reflected in subsidy schemes and the promotion of tele-health and tele-education, among other solutions.

Key developments:

FCC issues order to release additional funds to rebuild Puerto Rico’s telecom infrastructure;
T-Mobile US completes 600MHz LTE network rollout, launches 5G services to majority of the population;
AT&T sells its mobile and fixed business units in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands to Liberty Latin America for $1.95 billion;
Government-funded Gigabit Island project aiming to provide access speeds of 1Gb/s to 70% of premises by end-2020;
Report update includes the regulator’s market data to November 2019, telcos’ operating and financial data to Q3 2019, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, recent market developments.
Assessment of the global impact of COVID-19 on the telecoms sector.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Puerto Rico Telephone Company, América Móvil, AT&T, Liberty Cablevision; OneLink Communications; T-Mobile; Open Mobile; Sprint PCS; Choice Cable.

Key statistics
Regional Caribbean Market Comparison

Caribbean Telecom Maturity Index
TMI versus GDP
Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
Fixed and mobile broadband penetration

Country overview
COVID-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Economic considerations and responses
Mobile devices
Subscribers
Infrastructure

Telecommunications market

Overview

Regulatory environment

Fixed-line developments

Telecom sector liberalisation
Privatisation of PRTC

Mobile network developments

Spectrum

Mobile market

Market analysis
Mobile statistics

Mobile broadband

Major mobile operators

AT&T Mobility
Claro Puerto Rico
T-Mobile US
Sprint PCS
Open Mobile/Boost Mobile

Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G (LTE)

Fixed-line broadband market

Market analysis
Broadband statistics
Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks

Liberty Cablevisión
Acquisitions

Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
Other fixed broadband services

Wireless broadband

Fixed network operators

Introduction
Puerto Rico Telephone Company (PRTC)
AT&T

Telecommunications infrastructure

National telecom networks
International infrastructure

Submarine cable networks
Satellite networks

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities – Puerto Rico – 2019 (e)
Table 2 – Development of telecom and cable TV revenue – 2009 – 2018
Table 3 – Change in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2009 – 2024
Table 4 – Change in the number of postpaid and prepaid subscribers – 2009 – 2019
Table 5 – Change in the proportion of postpaid vs prepaid subscribers – 2009 – 2019
Table 6 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2024
Table 7 – Change in the number of Lifeline phone service connections – 2003 – 2018
Table 8 – Change in the number of internet subscribers and penetration – 2010 – 2019
Table 9 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration - 2009 – 2024
Table 10 – Change in the number of fixed broadband connections by data rate - 2017 – 2019
Table 11 – Proportion of fixed broadband connections by data rate - 2017 – 2019
Table 12 – Growth in the number of cable broadband subscribers - 2009 – 2020
Table 13 – Growth in the number of Liberty Cablevisión’s broadband and telephony subscribers – 2010 – 2019
Table 14 – Development of Liberty Cablevisión’s financial results – 2013 – 2019
Table 15 – Change in the number of DSL broadband subscribers - 2009 – 2020
Table 16 – Change in the number of public payphones in service – 2009 – 2019
Table 17 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2009 – 2024
Table 18 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration – 2001 – 2009
Table 19 – Historic - Postpaid and prepaid subscribers – 2001 – 2009
Table 20 – Historic - Mobile prepaid vs postpaid market share – 2000 – 2009
Table 21 – Historic - Internet users and penetration rate – 1997- 2009
Table 22 – Historic - Fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration - 2001 – 2009
Table 23 – Historic - Public payphones in service – 2003 – 2009
Table 24 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2001 – 2009

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Caribbean Telecoms Maturity Index by country
Chart 2 – Caribbean Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita
Chart 3 – Caribbean mobile subscriber penetration versus mobile broadband penetration
Chart 4 – Caribbean fixed broadband penetration versus mobile broadband penetration
Chart 5 – Development of telecom and cable TV revenue – 2009 – 2018
Chart 6 – Change in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration – 2009 – 2024
Chart 7 – Change in the number of postpaid and prepaid subscribers – 2009 – 2019
Chart 8 – Change in the proportion of postpaid vs prepaid subscribers – 2009 – 2019
Chart 9 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers – 2011 – 2024
Chart 10 – Change in the number of Lifeline phone service connections – 2003 – 2018
Chart 11 – Change in the number of internet subscribers and penetration – 2010 – 2019
Chart 12 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration - 2009 – 2024
Chart 13 – Change in the number of fixed broadband connections by data rate - 2017 – 2019
Chart 14 – Growth in the number of cable broadband subscribers - 2009 – 2020
Chart 15 – Growth in the number of Liberty Cablevisión’s broadband and telephony subscribers – 2010 – 2019
Chart 16 – Development of Liberty Cablevisión’s financial results – 2013 – 2019
Chart 17 – Change in the number of DSL able broadband subscribers - 2009 – 2020
Chart 18 – Change in the number of public payphones in service – 2009 – 2019
Chart 19 – Change in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2009 – 2024

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 2 – Caribbean - Key Characteristics of Telecoms Markets by Select Country
Exhibit 3 – Major submarine cable networks serving Puerto Rico

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Puerto Rico - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

USD 750.00

Puerto Ricans receiving near national 5G coverage

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Regional Caribbean Market Comparison

Country overview

COVID-19 and its impact on the telecom sector

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed-line broadband market

Fixed network operators

Telecommunications infrastructure

Appendix – Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

Purchase this Report

USD 750.00

Share this Report

Purchase with Confidence

Research Methodology

Sample Reports

Research

Hot Topics

News & Views