Slovakia - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Publication Overview

This report provides a comprehensive overview of trends and developments in Slovakia’s telecommunications market. The report analyses the fixed-line, mobile and broadband sectors. Subjects include:

Market and industry analyses, trends and developments;
Facts, figures and statistics;
Industry and regulatory issues;
Infrastructure developments;
Major Players, Revenues, Subscribers, ARPU, MoU;
Mobile Voice and Data Markets;
Broadband (FttP, DSL, cable, wireless);
Mobile subscribers and ARPU;
Broadband market forecasts;
Government policies affecting the telecoms industry;
Market liberalisation and industry issues;
Telecoms operators – privatisation, IPOs, acquisitions, new licences;
Mobile technologies (GSM; 3G, HSPA, LTE, 5G).

Researcher:- Henry Lancaster
Current publication date:- November 2019 (17th Edition)

Executive Summary

Slovakia to auction 700MHz spectrum for 5G by mid-2020

Despite market liberalisation Slovakia’s incumbent telco Slovak Telekom maintains a near monopoly of the fixed-line market and also dominates the DSL broadband sector. However, there is effective competition in the broadband and mobile markets, where most investment is being channelled. The main operators including O2 Slovakia and Orange Slovakia have expanded into offering bundled fixed and mobile services.

The broadband market has shown steady growth in recent years. DSL remains the principal technology though by early 2020 it is expected to be eclipsed by the fast-developing fibre sector, which has been supported by sympathetic regulatory measures and considerable investment among operators. The cable sector is a distant third in terms of subscribers, though cable is particularly strong in urban areas. The main telco UPC Slovakia has gained customers steadily in recent years on the back of its widely available 500Mb/s service offering. In mid-2019 the company launched a 1Gb/s service in three cities, initially available to some 200,000 premises.

Slovakia’s mobile market is served by four mobile network operators. Two of these are the local units of operators with a pan-European reach (Deutsche Telekom and Orange Group) while O2 Slovakia was once the local unit of Telefónica Group before being sold to an investment group. Mobile penetration is relatively high, at about 142% by late 2019. The introduction of mobile number portability in 2006 intensified competition between players. However, the MVNO sector remains underdeveloped, with the few operators in place having failed to gain traction and thus holding only a marginal share of the overall market.

Mobile broadband access and content services are developing rapidly in line with operators having upgraded their networks. The regulator has prepared the groundwork for 5G services, with concessions in the 3.5GHz range allowing for the launch of 5G services. Operators are keen to secure spectrum in the 700MHz band which the regulator aims to auction before June 2020.

This report outlines Slovakia’s fixed-line telecom market, providing an overview of the regulatory environment, profiles of the major operators, and a range of operational and financial statistics. The report also provides insights into the mobile voice and data sectors, including market statistics as well as profiles of the mobile network operators, and covering regulatory issues as well as developments in LTE, 5G and mobile data services. In addition, the report addresses Slovakia’s fixed-line and wireless broadband markets, providing an overview of major players, as well as statistics, market analyses and subscriber forecasts.

Key developments:

Slovanet secures spectrum in the 10GHz band for wireless broadband, aims to sell 3.5GHz concessions to Orange Slovakia;
Orange Slovakia increases FttP footprint to over one million premises;
UPC Slovakia launches 1Gb/s cable broadband service based on DOCSIS3.1;
Municipal FttP developments showing further growth;
SWAN Mobile makes Slovakia’s first 5G mobile call;
Regulator and telcos reach agreement to extend broadband nationally by 2020;
Orange Slovakia and Slovak Telekom offering LTE service as substitute for fixed-line broadband;
Report update includes the regulator’s market data to June 2019, telcos’ operating data to Q3 2019, Telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, recent market developments.

Companies mentioned in this report:

Slovak Telekom, Orange Slovakia, UPC Slovakia, O2 Slovakia, BENESTRA (GTS Nextra)

Henry Lancaster
November 2019

Table of Contents

Key statistics
Telecommunications market

Market analysis
Regional European Market Comparison

Europe Telecom Maturity Index by tier
TMI versus GDP
Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration

Country overview

Regulatory environment

Historical overview
Electronic Communications Act 2003
Electronic Communications Act 2011
Regulatory authority
Telecom sector liberalisation
Privatisation
Interconnection
Access
Number Portability (NP)
Carrier selection and Carrier PreSelection (CPS)

Fixed network operators

Slovak Telecom
BENESTRA
Slovak Wireless Access Network (SWAN)

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network

Alternative operators

International infrastructure
Cloud services

Broadband market

Introduction and statistical overview

Market analysis
Legislation
Government support
Broadband statistics

Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks
Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks

VDSL

Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
Other fixed broadband services

Wireless broadband

Digital economy

E-government
E-health
E-education

Mobile communications

Market analysis
Mobile statistics

General statistics
Mobile voice
Mobile data
Mobile broadband

Regulatory issues

GSM licences
UMTS licences and third GSM licence
Fourth mobile network operator licence
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Mobile Termination Rates (MTR)
800MHz, 2600GHz
1800MHz
26GHz
3.5GHz
700MHz

Mobile infrastructure

Digital networks
Other infrastructure developments

Major mobile operators

T-Mobile Slovakia (Slovak Telekom)
Orange Slovakia
O2 Slovakia
SWAN Mobile
Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)

Mobile content and applications

Appendix – Historic data

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Slovakia – 2019 (e)
Table 2 – Development of investment in telecom market, by sector – 2005 – 2017
Table 3 – Decline in telecom market revenue – 2005 – 2017
Table 4 – Development in the number of annual fixed-number portings – 2007 – 2018
Table 5 – Decline in the number of Carrier selection and CPS lines – 2007 – 2018
Table 6 – Decline in the volume of fixed-line calls and traffic – 2006 – 2018
Table 7 – Development in Slovak Telekom’s financial results – 2009 – 2019
Table 8 – Development in Slovak Telekom’s subscriber base by type – 2009 – 2019
Table 9 – Decline in the number of residential fixed lines in service – 2010 – 2018
Table 10 – Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2009 – 2024
Table 11 – Growth in the number of VoIP lines – 2007 – 2018
Table 12 – Increase in international internet bandwidth – 2009 – 2018
Table 13 – Growth in the number of fixed internet subscribers and penetration rate – 2009 – 2019
Table 14 – Decline in the number of dial-up internet subscribers – 2005 – 2018
Table 15 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration rate – 2009 – 2024
Table 16 – Steady growth in internet market revenue – 2005 – 2017
Table 17 – Growth in the number of cable broadband subscribers – 2005 – 2018
Table 18 – Development in UPC Slovakia’s broadband/voice subscriber base – 2006 – 2019
Table 19 – Increase in the number of UPC Slovakia’s homes passed – 2003 – 2019
Table 20 – UPC Slovakia revenue – 2016 – 2019
Table 21 – Development of the DSL subscriber base and penetration – 2005 – 2018
Table 22 – Increase in the number of Slovak Telekom’s retail DSL subscribers – 2005 – 2019
Table 23 – Growth in the number of FttP/B subscribers – 2005 – 2018
Table 24 – Increase in the number of Orange Slovakia’s broadband subscribers – 2009 – 2019
Table 25 – Growth in the number of fixed-wireless broadband subscribers – 2007 – 2018
Table 26 – Change in the number of satellite broadband subscribers – 2006 – 2018
Table 27 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 2009 – 2024
Table 28 – Gains in population coverage by technology – 2006 – 2018
Table 29 – Gains in geographical coverage by technology – 2010 – 2018
Table 30 – Change in the number of prepaid and postpaid subscribers – 2010 – 2018
Table 31 – Change in the ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers – 2009 – 2018
Table 32 – Decline in the proportion of T-Mobile Slovakia’s prepaid subscribers – 2004 – 2019
Table 33 – Decline in mobile market revenue – 2005 – 2017
Table 34 – Development of mobile network voice traffic by type – 2007 – 2019
Table 35 – Development of SMS traffic – 2003 – 2019
Table 36 – Growth in the number of MMS messages sent – 2005 – 2019
Table 37 – Growth in the number of mobile internet subscriptions by type – 2008 – 2018
Table 38 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2009 – 2024
Table 39 – Development in the number of annual mobile portings – 2006 – 2018
Table 40 – Growth in the number of M2M connections – 2014 – 2019
Table 41 – Change in T-Mobile Slovakia’s mobile subscriber base – 2006 – 2019
Table 42 – Development in T-Mobile Slovakia’s mobile financial data – 2004 – 2019
Table 43 – T-Mobile Slovakia quarterly mobile service revenue – 2014 – 2019
Table 44 – T-Mobile Slovakia mobile ARPU – 2004 – 2019
Table 45 – Change in Orange Slovakia’s mobile subscriber base – 2007 – 2019
Table 46 – Change in Orange Slovakia’s mobile revenue – 2003 – 2019
Table 47 – Change in Orange Slovakia’s revenue by quarter – 2012 – 2019
Table 48 – Growth in the number of O2 Slovakia’s mobile subscribers – 2007 – 2019
Table 49 – Development of O2 Slovakia’s financial results – 2016 - 2019
Table 50 – Change in O2 Slovakia’s mobile ARPU – 2007 – 2019
Table 51 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2000 – 2009
Table 52 – Historic - International internet bandwidth – 2000 – 2009
Table 53 – Historic- Internet users and penetration rate – 2000 – 2015
Table 54 – Historic - Internet subscribers and penetration rate – 2000 – 2009
Table 55 – Historic - Fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration rate – 2002 – 2009
Table 56 – Historic - UPC Slovakia – homes passed – 2003 – 2009
Table 57 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1998 – 2009
Table 58 – Historic - Orange Slovakia’s blended ARPU – 2012 – 2017
Table 59 – Historic - Mobile GSM/3G base stations in service – 2005 - 2012
Table 60 – Historic - Ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers – 2001 – 2009
Table 61 – Historic - Telefónica O2 prepaid users – 2007 – 2013

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Development of investment in telecom market, by sector – 2005 – 2017
Chart 2 – Decline in telecom market revenue – 2005 – 2017
Chart 3 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Leaders (top tier)
Chart 4 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Challengers (middle tier)
Chart 5 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Emergents (bottom tier)
Chart 6 – Overall view - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita
Chart 7 – Europe - mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 8 – Scandinavia and Baltics: mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 9 – Northern Europe –mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 10 – Southern Europe mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 11 – Eastern Europe mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 12 – Scandinavia and Baltics fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 13 – Northern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 14 – Southern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 15 – Eastern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 16 – Development in the number of annual fixed-number portings – 2007 – 2018
Chart 17 – Decline in the number of Carrier selection and CPS lines – 2007 – 2018
Chart 18 – Decline in the volume of fixed-line calls and traffic – 2006 – 2018
Chart 19 – Development in Slovak Telekom’s financial results – 2009 – 2019
Chart 20 – Development in Slovak Telekom’s subscriber base by type – 2009 – 2019
Chart 21 – Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2009 – 2024
Chart 22 – Growth in the number of VoIP lines – 2007 – 2018
Chart 23 – Increase in international internet bandwidth – 2009 – 2018
Chart 24 – Growth in the number of fixed internet subscribers and penetration rate – 2009 – 2019
Chart 25 – Decline in the number of dial-up internet subscribers – 2005 – 2018
Chart 26 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration rate – 2009 – 2024
Chart 27 – Steady growth in internet market revenue – 2005 – 2017
Chart 28 – Growth in the number of cable broadband subscribers – 2005 – 2018
Chart 29 – Development in UPC Slovakia’s broadband/voice subscriber base – 2006 – 2019
Chart 30 – Increase in the number of UPC Slovakia’s homes passed – 2009 – 2019
Chart 31 – Development of the DSL subscriber base and penetration – 2005 – 2018
Chart 32 – Increase in the number of Slovak Telekom’s retail DSL subscribers – 2005 – 2019
Chart 33 – Growth in the number of FttP/B subscribers – 2005 – 2018
Chart 34 – Increase in the number of Orange Slovakia’s broadband subscribers – 2009 – 2019
Chart 35 – Growth in the number of fixed-wireless broadband subscribers – 2007 – 2018
Chart 36 – Change in the number of satellite broadband subscribers – 2006 – 2018
Chart 37 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 2009 – 2024
Chart 38 – Gains in population coverage by technology – 2006 – 2018
Chart 39 – Gains in geographic coverage by technology – 2010 – 2018
Chart 40 – Change in the number of prepaid and postpaid subscribers – 2010 – 2018
Chart 41 – Change in the ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers – 2009 – 2018
Chart 42 – Decline in the proportion of T-Mobile Slovakia’s prepaid subscribers – 2004 – 2019
Chart 43 – Decline in mobile market revenue – 2005 – 2017
Chart 44 – Development of mobile network voice traffic by type – 2007 – 2019
Chart 45 – Development of SMS traffic – 2003 – 2019
Chart 46 – Growth in the number of MMS messages sent – 2005 – 2019
Chart 47 – Growth in the number of mobile internet subscriptions by type – 2008 – 2018
Chart 48 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2009 – 2024
Chart 49 – Development in the number of annual mobile portings – 2006 – 2018
Chart 50 – Growth in the number of M2M connections – 2014 – 2019
Chart 51 – Change in T-Mobile Slovakia’s mobile subscriber base – 2006 – 2019
Chart 52 – Development in T-Mobile Slovakia’s mobile financial data – 2004 – 2019
Chart 53 – Change in Orange Slovakia’s mobile subscriber base – 2007 – 2019
Chart 54 – Change in Orange Slovakia’s mobile revenue – 2003 – 2019
Chart 55 – Change in Orange Slovakia’s revenue by quarter – 2012 – 2019
Chart 56 – Growth in the number of O2 Slovakia’s mobile subscribers – 2007 – 2019
Chart 57 – Development of O2 Slovakia’s financial results – 2016 - 2019

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 2 – Access, the local loop and unbundling – an overview
Exhibit 3 – 2G spectrum awarded in Slovakia
Exhibit 4 –Multi spectrum allocation – Dec 2013

Related Reports

Purchase this Report

USD 1,150.00

Licence Information

Annual Publication Profile

Technologies

Broadband Fixed
Broadcasting
Companies (Major Players)
Internet
Mobile & Wireless Broadband and Media
Mobile Communications (voice and infrastructure)
Regulations & Government Policies
Telecoms Infrastructure

Number of pages 160

Status Current

Last updated 5 Nov 2019
Update History

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

Share this Report

Purchase with Confidence

Paul has been a relentless advocate and tireless activist for making the world a more connected place.

His passion for broadband and his firm belief in its transformational impact on societies across the globe is unrivalled.

I am honoured to call Paul a friend and I trust he will keep up the fight for better broadband and better access to broadband for all people, wherever they live and whatever their background, into the future.

Senator Stephen Conroy, former Communications Minister and Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate

Sample Reports

A selection of downloadable samples from our Annual Publications catalogue.

Download a Sample Report

More than 4,000 customers from 140 countries utilise BuddeComm Research

Are you interested in BuddeComm's Custom Research Service?

Contact us

Contact BuddeComm

View Reports by

Hot Topics

News & Views

Have the latest telecommunications industry news delivered to your inbox by subscribing to Paul's FREE weekly News & Views.

Slovakia - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Slovakia to auction 700MHz spectrum for 5G by mid-2020

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Fixed network operators

Telecommunications infrastructure

Broadband market

Digital economy

Mobile communications

Appendix – Historic data