Timor Leste (East Timor) - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses

Executive summary

Timor-Leste sees a boost to its lagging fixed line broadband market

Fixed-line infrastructure remains limited in Timor Leste and significant fixed-line investment has been limited due to the strong expansion of mobile services in the country. As mobile services allowed reasonably rapid and effective coverage of key part of the country, the pressure to expand fixed services decreased.

Timor-Leste has been pressing ahead with the regeneration of its economy and the rebuilding of infrastructure. The effort to roll out telecommunications infrastructure in particular has been a key part of this. Despite the considerable energy that has been going into this rebuilding, the prevailing social and political environment continues to present major challenges to those seeking to improve the country.

In 2018 Telin Timor-Leste (Telkomcel) began deploying a submarine cable branching unit linking Timor-Leste with Indonesia.

Fixed broadband penetration in Timor Leste remains extremely low mainly due to a limited number of fixed lines as well as the dominance of the mobile platform. However, the market has grown strongly over the past five years from a very small base. Timor Telecom was contracted for the supply, installation and configuration of a fibre-optic network. This will help to fuel stronger growth over the next few years. Over the next five years to 2023 the market is expected to grow very strongly but overall market penetration will remain extremely low compared to other nations.

During 2017 all three major mobile operators: Timor Telecom, Telkomcel and Telemor launched 4G LTE services and their rollouts continued during 2018.

Slow to moderate growth is predicted over the next five years to 2023 in the mobile subscriber market. It will be constrained from higher growth due to strong local competition and a maturing market.

Timor Leste has seen a very rapid increase in mobile broadband penetration over the past five years, driven by a rising level of mobile subscribers with smartphones. However, the mobile broadband market is still at an early stage of development. Strong growth is predicted over the next five years to 2023.

Key developments:

• All three major mobile operators: Timor Telecom, Telkomcel and Telemor continue to roll-out 4G LTE services.
• Timor Telecom signed a new agreement with SES for capacity on its NSS-12 geostationary earth orbit satellite.
• Timor Telecom selected SES for the launch of a Wi-Fi trial service in the Dili capital.
• Fixed broadband penetration in Timor Leste remains extremely low, but recently expanded.
• There has seen a very rapid increase in mobile broadband penetration over the past five years.

Table of Contents

• 1. Executive summary
• 2. Key statistics
• 3. Country overview
• 4. Telecommunications market
  • 4.1 Market Overview and Analysis
  • 4.2 Regional Market Comparison
  • 4.3 Strategic Development Plan 2011 – 2030
  • 4.4 Liberalisation of telecom sector
• 5. Regulatory environment
  • 5.1 National telecommunications policy
  • 5.2 Autoridade Reguladora das Comunicacoes (ARCOM)
  • 5.3 Autoridade Nacional de Communicações (ANC)
  • 5.4 Licences issued in 2012
• 6. Fixed network operators
  • 6.1 Background
  • 6.2 Timor Telecom
• 7. Telecommunications infrastructure
  • 7.1 National telecom network
    • 7.1.1 Satellite Broadband Network
  • 7.2 International infrastructure
    • 7.2.1 Introduction
    • 7.2.2 Satellite networks
    • 7.2.3 Submarine cable
• 8. Fixed-line broadband market
  • 8.1 Background
  • 8.2 Fixed Broadband Market Statistics and Forecast
• 9. Fixed Broadband Technologies
  • 9.1 Fibre Networks
  • 9.2 WiFi
• 10. Mobile market
  • 10.1 Background
  • 10.2 Mobile Statistics and Forecast
  • 10.3 Mobile Broadband Statistics and Market Forecast
• 11. Major mobile operators
  • 11.1 Mobile Operator Statistics
  • 11.2 Timor Telecom
  • 11.3 Telin (Telkomcel)
  • 11.4 Telemor
• 12. Digital economy
  • 12.1 e-Commerce
  • 12.2 e-Banking
  • 12.3 e-Government
• 13. Digital Media
  • 13.1 Broadcasting
  • 13.2 Communications: VoIP, messaging, conferencing
    • 13.2.1 VoIP
• 14. Related reports
• Table 1 – Country statistics Timor Leste (East Timor) – 2018 (e)
• Table 2 – Telephone network statistics – 2018 (e)
• Table 3 – Internet user statistics – 2018 (e)
• Table 4 – Broadband statistics – 2018 (e)
• Table 5 – Mobile statistics – 2018 (e)
• Table 6 – National telecommunications authorities
• Table 7 –Timor Leste’s GDP real growth rate – 2004 - 2018
• Table 8 – Key Metrics - Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) - 2018 - 2023
• Table 9 – Percentage of Population Covered by Type of Mobile Network
• Table 10 – Historic - Timor Telecom – total revenue – 2010 - 2013
• Table 11 – Fixed Line Subscriptions and Penetration – 2007 - 2018
• Table 12 – Fixed Broadband Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast) – 2007 - 2023
• Table 13 – Historic - Fixed broadband subscribers – 2003 - 2011
• Table 14 – Internet Users and Penetration – 2007 - 2018
• Table 15 – Historic - Internet users – 2005 - 2011
• Table 16 – International Internet Bandwidth, Lit/Equipped International Bandwidth capacity – 2003 - 2018
• Table 17 – Mobile Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast) – 2007 - 2023
• Table 18 – Historic - Mobile subscribers – 1999 – 2006
• Table 19 – Mobile Broadband Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast) – 2013 - 2023
• Table 20 – Mobile subscribers and market share by operator – 2018
• Table 21 – Timor Telecom’s mobile subscribers – 2003 - 2018
• Table 22 – Telin (Telkomcel) mobile subscribers – 2013 - 2018
• Table 23 – Telemor’s mobile subscribers – 2013 - 2018
• Chart 1 – Mobile, Mobile Broadband & Fixed Broadband Penetration – 2018; 2023
• Chart 2 – Asian Telecoms Maturity Index by Market Category
• Chart 3 – Asian Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per Capita
• Chart 4 – Telecoms Maturity Index – South East Asia
• Chart 5 – Fixed Line Subscriptions and Penetration – 2007 - 2018
• Chart 6 – Fixed Broadband Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast) – 2007 - 2023
• Chart 7 – Mobile Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast) – 2007 - 2023
• Chart 8 – Mobile Broadband Subscribers and Penetration (with Forecast) – 2009 - 2023
• Exhibit 1 – Key Market Characteristics by Market Segment
• Exhibit 2 – South East Asia - Key Characteristics of Telecoms Markets by Country

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