Slovakia Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Publication Date: December 2023

Report Pages: 199

Analyst: Henry Lancaster

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Summary
Table Of Contents

Slovakia’s MNOs providing 80% 5G coverage

Slovakia’s telecom market has effective competition on all sectors, though the incumbent telco Slovak Telekom is the largest operator in the fixed-line voice and broadband fields. In the mobile sector, Orange Slovakia is the market leader, followed by O2 Slovakia, Slovak Telekom, and SWAN (trading under the 4ka banner). Shareholding changes have led to SWAN being merged with SWAN Mobile. All MNOs have taken part in the spectrum auctions held recently, and this has contributed to greater investment in 5G services, which are now widely available across the country.

The broadband market has shown steady growth in recent years. Fibre has become the principal platform for fixed broadband services, followed by DSL. Fibre 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 sector’s main operator of UPC Slovakia, a unit of Liberty Global, has steadily gained customers in recent years, though growth was negligible between 2019 and March 2022.

Slovakia’s mobile market is served by four MNOs, two of which are the local units of operators with a pan-European reach (Deutsche Telekom and Orange Group), O2 Slovakia was once the local unit of Telefónica Group before being sold to an investment concern. 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 prepared the groundwork for 5G services in line with European Union requirements, with concessions in the 3.5GHz range followed by those in the 700MHz, 900MHz and 1800MHz bands. A second 3.5GHz auction was held by the regulator in May 2022, in anticipated of the expiry of existing concessions between December 2024 and August 2025.

O2 Slovakia expected to cover all regional centres by the end of 2022, while Orange Slovakia (which launched 5G in late 2021) expected to cover about a fifth of the population by the end of 2022.

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:

1800MHz spectrum holders complete a reorder of holdings to improve network efficiency;
Slovakia’s MNOs secure 390MHz of spectrum in 3.5GHz auction;
Slovanet acquires a stake in the ISP RadioLan, gaining about 30,000 subscribers;
Slovanet sells 3.5GHz concessions to Orange Slovakia;
UPC Slovakia extends 1Gb/s broadband service based on DOCSIS3.1;
Report update includes state statistics data to December 2021, regulator’s market data updates, telcos’ operating data to Q1 2022, updated 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)

Key statistics
Regional Europe Market Comparison

Market characteristics
Market Leaders
Market Challengers
Market Emergents
TMI versus GDP
Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration

Country overview
Telecommunications market

Market analysis

Regulatory environment

Historical overview
Regulatory authority
Fixed-line developments

Electronic Communications Act 2003
Electronic Communications Act 2011
Telecom sector liberalisation
Privatisation
Interconnection
Access
Number Portability (NP)
Carrier selection and Carrier PreSelection (CPS)
European Electronic Communications Code

Mobile network developments

GSM licences
3G licences and a third GSM licence
Fourth mobile network operator licence
Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
Mobile Termination Rate (MTR)
800MHz, 2600GHz
1800MHz
26GHz
3.5GHz
700MHz

Mobile market

Market analysis
Mobile statistics

Mobile voice
Mobile data
Mobile broadband

Mobile infrastructure

5G
4G (LTE)
3G
Other infrastructure developments

Major mobile operators

Slovak Telekom
Orange Slovakia
O2 Slovakia
SWAN Mobile (4ka)
Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)

Mobile content and applications

Fixed-line 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

Fixed network operators

Slovak Telekom
Benestra
SWAN

Telecommunications infrastructure

Overview of the national telecom network

Alternative operators

International infrastructure
Cloud services

Appendix – Historic data
Glossary of abbreviations
Related reports

List of Tables

Table 1 – Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Slovakia – 2022 (e)
Table 2 – Development of investment in telecom market, by sector (€ million) – 2012 – 2020
Table 3 – Decline in telecom market revenue (€ million) – 2012 – 2020
Table 4 – Development in the number of annual fixed-number portings – 2012 – 2020
Table 5 – Decline in the number of carrier selection and CPS lines – 2012 – 2021
Table 6 – Development in the number of annual mobile portings – 2012 – 2021
Table 7 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 2012 – 2027
Table 8 – Gains in population coverage by technology – 2012 – 2021
Table 9 – Gains in geographical coverage by technology – 2012 – 2021
Table 10 – Change in the number of prepaid and postpaid subscribers (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 11 – Change in the ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 12 – Development of mobile market revenue – 2012 – 2020
Table 13 – Development of mobile network voice traffic by type (million minutes) – 2012 – 2021
Table 14 – Development of SMS traffic – 2012 – 2021
Table 15 – Growth in the number of MMS messages sent – 2012 – 2021
Table 16 – Growth in the number of mobile internet subscriptions by type (thousand) – 2012 – 2021
Table 17 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 18 – Growth in the number of M2M connections – 2014 – 2021
Table 19 – Change in Slovak Telekom’s mobile subscriber base (million) – 2012 – 2022
Table 20 – Change in the proportion of Slovak Telekom’s prepaid subscribers – 2012 – 2020
Table 21 – Development in Slovak Telekom’s mobile financial data – 2012 – 2020
Table 22 – Slovak Telekom’s quarterly mobile service revenue – 2014 – 2020
Table 23 – Change in Slovak Telekom’s mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2020
Table 24 – Change in the number of Orange Slovakia’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 25 – Change in Orange Slovakia’s mobile revenue – 2012 – 2021
Table 26 – Change in Orange Slovakia’s revenue by quarter (€ million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 27 – Growth in the number of O2 Slovakia’s mobile subscribers (million) – 2012 – 2021
Table 28 – Development of O2 Slovakia’s financial results (CZK million) – 2015 – 2021
Table 29 – Change in O2 Slovakia’s mobile ARPU – 2017 – 2021
Table 30 – Growth in the number of fixed internet subscribers and penetration rate – 2012 – 2021
Table 31 – Decline in the number of dial-up internet subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 32 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Table 33 – Steady growth in internet market revenue – 2012 – 2020
Table 34 – Growth in the number of cable broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 35 – Change in the number of UPC Slovakia’s broadband/voice subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Table 36 – Increase in the number of UPC Slovakia’s homes passed – 2012 – 2022
Table 37 – Development of UPC Slovakia’s revenue – 2012 – 2022
Table 38 – Development of the DSL subscriber base and penetration – 2012 – 2021
Table 39 – Increase in the number of Slovak Telekom’s retail DSL subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Table 40 – Growth in the number of FttP/B subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 41 – Increase in the number of Orange Slovakia’s broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 42 – Growth in the number of fixed-wireless broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 43 – Change in the number of satellite broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Table 44 – Decline in the volume of fixed-line calls and traffic – 2012 – 2021
Table 45 – Development in Slovak Telekom’s financial results (€ million) – 2012 – 2022
Table 46 – Development in Slovak Telekom’s subscriber base by type (thousand) – 2012 – 2022
Table 47 – Decline in the number of residential fixed lines in service – 2012 – 2021
Table 48 – Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Table 49 – Growth in the number of VoIP lines – 2012 – 2021
Table 50 – Increase in international internet bandwidth – 2012 – 2020
Table 51 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2000 – 2011
Table 52 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1998 – 2011
Table 53 – Historic - Orange Slovakia’s blended ARPU – 2012 – 2017
Table 54 – Historic - Mobile GSM/3G base stations in service – 2005 – 2012
Table 55 – Historic - Ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers – 2001 – 2011
Table 56 – Historic - Telefónica O2 prepaid users – 2007 – 2013
Table 57 – Historic - International internet bandwidth – 2000 – 2011
Table 58 – Historic - Internet users and penetration rate – 2000 – 2015
Table 59 – Historic – Fixed internet subscribers and penetration rate – 2000 – 2011
Table 60 – Historic - Fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration rate – 2002 – 2011
Table 61 – Historic - UPC Slovakia - homes passed – 2003 – 2011
Table 62 – Historic - Development of investment in telecom market, by sector (€ million) – 2005 – 2011
Table 63 – Historic - Decline in telecom market revenue (€ billion) – 2005 – 2011
Table 64 – Historic - Development in the number of annual fixed-number portings – 2007 – 2011
Table 65 – Historic - Decline in the number of Carrier selection and CPS lines – 2007 – 2011
Table 66 – Historic - Gains in population coverage by technology – 2006 – 2011
Table 67 – Historic - Decline in the proportion of Slovak Telekom’s prepaid subscribers – 2004 – 2011
Table 68 – Historic - Decline in mobile market revenue – 2005 – 2011
Table 69 – Historic - Development of mobile network voice traffic by type (million minutes) – 2007 – 2011
Table 70 – Historic - Development of SMS traffic – 2003 – 2011
Table 71 – Historic - Growth in the number of MMS messages sent – 2005 – 2011
Table 72 – Historic - Development in the number of annual mobile portings – 2006 – 2011
Table 73 – Historic - Change in Slovak Telekom’s mobile subscriber base (thousand) – 2006 – 2011
Table 74 – Historic - Development in Slovak Telekom’s mobile financial data – 2004 – 2011
Table 75 – Historic - Slovak Telekom’s mobile ARPU – 2004 – 2011
Table 76 – Historic - Change in Orange Slovakia’s mobile subscriber base (thousand) – 2007 – 2011
Table 77 – Historic - Change in Orange Slovakia’s mobile revenue – 2003 – 2011
Table 78 – Historic - Growth in the number of O2 Slovakia’s mobile subscribers – 2007 – 2011
Table 79 – Historic - Decline in the number of dial-up internet subscribers – 2005 – 2011
Table 80 – Historic - Steady growth in internet market revenue – 2005 – 2011
Table 81 – Historic - Growth in the number of cable broadband subscribers – 2005 – 2011
Table 82 – Historic - Development in UPC Slovakia’s broadband/voice subscriber base – 2006 – 2011
Table 83 – Historic - Development of the DSL subscriber base and penetration – 2005 – 2011
Table 84 – Historic - Increase in the number of Slovak Telekom’s retail DSL subscribers – 2005 – 2011
Table 85 – Historic - Growth in the number of FttP/B subscribers – 2005 – 2011
Table 86 – Historic - Growth in the number of fixed-wireless broadband subscribers – 2007 – 2011
Table 87 – Historic - Change in the number of satellite broadband subscribers – 2006 – 2011
Table 88 – Historic - Decline in the volume of fixed-line calls and traffic – 2006 – 2011
Table 89 – Historic - Growth in the number of VoIP lines – 2007 – 2011
Table 90 – Historic - Growth in the number of mobile internet subscriptions by type – 2008 – 2011

List of Charts

Chart 1 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Leaders
Chart 2 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Challengers
Chart 3 – Europe Telecoms Maturity Index – Market Emergents
Chart 4 – Europe - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per capita
Chart 5 – Europe – Mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 6 – Scandinavia/Baltics fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 7 – Northern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 8 – Eastern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 9 – Southern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 10 – Development of investment in telecom market, by sector – 2012 – 2020
Chart 11 – Decline in telecom market revenue – 2012 – 2020
Chart 12 – Development in the number of annual fixed-number portings – 2012 – 2021
Chart 13 – Decline in the number of carrier selection and CPS lines – 2012 – 2021
Chart 14 – Development in the number of annual mobile portings – 2012 – 2021
Chart 15 – Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 2012 – 2027
Chart 16 – Gains in population coverage by technology – 2012 – 2021
Chart 17 – Gains in geographic coverage by technology – 2012 – 2021
Chart 18 – Change in the number of prepaid and postpaid subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 19 – Change in the ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 20 – Development of mobile market revenue – 2012 – 2020
Chart 21 – Development of mobile network voice traffic by type – 2012 – 2021
Chart 22 – Development of SMS traffic – 2012 – 2021
Chart 23 – Growth in the number of MMS messages sent – 2012 – 2021
Chart 24 – Growth in the number of mobile internet subscriptions by type – 2012 – 2021
Chart 25 – Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 26 – Growth in the number of M2M connections – 2014 – 2021
Chart 27 – Change in Slovak Telekom’s mobile subscriber base – 2012 – 2022
Chart 28 – Change in the proportion of Slovak Telekom’s prepaid subscribers – 2012 – 2020
Chart 29 – Development in Slovak Telekom’s mobile financial data – 2012 – 2020
Chart 30 – Change in Slovak Telekom’s mobile ARPU – 2012 – 2020
Chart 31 – Change in the number of Orange Slovakia’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 32 – Change in Orange Slovakia’s mobile revenue – 2012 – 2021
Chart 33 – Change in Orange Slovakia’s revenue by quarter – 2012 – 2021
Chart 34 – Growth in the number of O2 Slovakia’s mobile subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 35 – Development of O2 Slovakia’s financial results – 2015 – 2021
Chart 36 – Change in O2 Slovakia’s mobile ARPU – 2017 – 2021
Chart 37 – Growth in the number of fixed internet subscribers and penetration rate – 2012 – 2021
Chart 38 – Decline in the number of dial-up internet subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 39 – Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration – 2012 – 2027
Chart 40 – Steady growth in internet market revenue – 2012 – 2020
Chart 41 – Growth in the number of cable broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 42 – Change in the number of UPC Slovakia’s broadband/voice subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Chart 43 – Increase in the number of UPC Slovakia’s homes passed – 2012 – 2022
Chart 44 – Development of UPC Slovakia’s revenue – 2012 – 2022
Chart 45 – Development of the DSL subscriber base and penetration – 2012 – 2021
Chart 46 – Increase in the number of Slovak Telekom’s retail DSL subscribers – 2012 – 2022
Chart 47 – Growth in the number of FttP/B subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 48 – Increase in the number of Orange Slovakia’s broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 49 – Growth in the number of fixed-wireless broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 50 – Change in the number of satellite broadband subscribers – 2012 – 2021
Chart 51 – Decline in the volume of fixed-line calls and traffic – 2012 – 2021
Chart 52 – Development in Slovak Telekom’s financial results – 2012 – 2022
Chart 53 – Development in Slovak Telekom’s subscriber base by type – 2012 – 2022
Chart 54 – Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2012 – 2027
Chart 55 – Growth in the number of VoIP lines – 2012 – 2021
Chart 56 – Increase in international internet bandwidth – 2012 – 2020

List of Exhibits

Exhibit 1 – Map of Telecom Maturity Index global ranking among countries in Europe
Exhibit 2 – Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 3 – Europe – Market Leaders and market developments
Exhibit 4 – Europe – Market Challengers and market developments
Exhibit 5 – Europe – Market Emergents and market developments
Exhibit 6 – Access, the local loop and unbundling – an overview
Exhibit 7 – GSM spectrum awards in Slovakia
Exhibit 8 – Multi spectrum allocation – Dec 2013
Exhibit 9 – Multi spectrum auction result – Nov 2020

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Slovakia Telecoms Market Report

Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Purchase this Report

Slovakia’s MNOs providing 80% 5G coverage

Key developments:

Companies mentioned in this report:

Key statistics

Regional Europe Market Comparison

Country overview

Telecommunications market

Regulatory environment

Mobile market

Fixed-line broadband market

Digital Economy

Fixed network operators

Telecommunications infrastructure

Appendix – Historic data

Glossary of abbreviations

Related reports

Purchase this Report

Share this Report

TMT Intelligence

A platform to scale your intelligence tasks

Research Methodology

Hot Topics

News & Views