Bulgaria’s MNOs Trial 5G for 2020 Launch
Bulgaria's MNOs approach 70% population coverage with 5G
Bulgaria's telcos saw a steady increase in revenue in 2021 and in the first quarter of 2022, despite the difficult economic climate and the economic effects of the pandemic. The pandemic has resulted in a decline in mobile revenue, largely the result of declining roaming and voice revenue. The number of subscribers was also negatively impacted by the consolidation of SIM cards among subscribers.
Despite growth in revenue, investment among operators has declined in recent years. Nevertheless, there has been continuing developments in 5G, as the MNOs seek to improve revenue streams from mobile data services. The telecom regulator finalised public consultations on its 5G spectrum strategy in late 2018, and in mid-2019 it made available 100MHz of spectrum in the 3.5GHz range for 5G.
A1 Bulgaria began trialling 5G using this spectrum in mid-2019, and launched commercial services soon afterwards, delivering data at up to 1Gb/s. Yettel (then branded as Telenor Bulgaria) began trialling 5G at the same time, while Vivacom launched its own 5G offer in September 2020. By May 2022, Vivacom had extended its 5G service to over 530 cities and towns. It expected that 5G would provide 72% population coverage by the end of the year.
Table of Contents
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 development
- Mobile network developments
Mobile market
- Market analysis
- Mobile statistics
- Mobile infrastructure
- Major mobile operators
Fixed-line broadband market
- Introduction and statistical overview
- Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks
- Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
- Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP)
- Other fixed broadband services
Digital economy
- E-Entertainment
- E-Learning
- E-payments
- E-government
- E-health
Fixed network operators
- Introduction
- Vivacom/Bulgarian Telecommunications Company (BTC)
- A1 Bulgaria
Telecommunications infrastructure
- Overview of the national telecom network
- International networks
- Smart Grid
Appendix Historic data
- Glossary of abbreviations
- Related reports
List of Tables
- Table 1 Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Bulgaria 2022 (e)
- Table 2 Telecom sector investment 2013 2020
- Table 3 Investment in NGA 2013 2020
- Table 4 Development of in telecom sector revenue, annual change 2012 2020
- Table 6 Proportion of telecom sector revenue by service 2012 2020
- Table 7 Change in the share of fixed-voice revenue by type 2012 2020
- Table 8 Change in the number of fixed number portings 2012 2020
- Table 9 Annual mobile number portings 2012 2020
- Table 10 MTR 2014 2020
- Table 11 Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Table 12 Decline in mobile sector revenue 2012 2020
- Table 13 Change in the proportion of mobile revenue by service 2012 2020
- Table 14 Change in mobile market share of subscribers by operator 2012 2020
- Table 15 Change in mobile market share of revenue by operator 2012 2020
- Table 16 Ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers 2012 2020
- Table 17 Mobile base stations in service by technology 2012 2020
- Table 18 Change in the number of A1 Bulgaria's prepaid subscribers 2012 2020
- Table 19 Growth in the number of LTE subscribers 2015 2020
- Table 20 Drop in SMS traffic 2012 2020
- Table 21 Drop in MMS traffic 2012 2020
- Table 22 Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Table 23 Share of mobile broadband subscribers by operator 2017 2020
- Table 24 Growth in the number of A1 Bulgaria' mobile broadband subscribers 2012 2021
- Table 25 Change in the number of Vivacom's mobile subscribers 2012 2020
- Table 26 Development of Vivacom's mobile revenue (BGN million) 2012 2019
- Table 27 Vivacom annualised mobile ARPU (BGN/month) 2012 2019
- Table 28 A1 Bulgaria prepaid, postpaid, and blended monthly ARPU (/month) 2012 2021
- Table 29 Change in the number of A1 Bulgaria's mobile subscriber base (million) 2012 2022
- Table 30 Increase in A1 Bulgaria's Minutes of Use (MoU) 2012 2020
- Table 31 Change in the number of Yettel's mobile subscribers (million) 2012 2021
- Table 32 Development of Yettel's financial data ( million) 2017 2021
- Table 33 Yettel's mobile ARPU (/month) 2018 2021
- Table 34 Change in the share of fixed-line broadband subscribers by operator 2017 2020
- Table 35 Change in fixed-line broadband market share by access type 2012 2020
- Table 36 Increase in the total internet subscribers (fixed and mobile) and annual change 2013 2020
- Table 37 Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Table 38 Change in the proportion of fixed broadband subscribers by data speed 2012 2020
- Table 39 Growth in total internet (retail and wholesale) revenue 2012 2020
- Table 40 Retail and wholesale internet revenue (BGN million) 2013 2020
- Table 41 Growth in the number of cable broadband subscribers 2012 2020
- Table 42 Decline in the number of DSL subscribers 2012 2020
- Table 43 Growth in the number of Vivacom's fixed broadband subscribers 2012 2020
- Table 44 Growth in the number of A1 Bulgaria's fixed broadband subscribers 2012 2022
- Table 45 Increase in the number of Vivacom's fibre broadband connections and homes passed (thousand) 2013 2020
- Table 46 Growth in the number of FttP subscribers 2012 2020
- Table 47 Development of Vivacom's financial data (BGN million) 2012 2020
- Table 48 Development of Vivacom's financial data by sector (BGN million) 2012 2019
- Table 49 Change in the number of Vivacom's subscribers by sector (million) 2012 2020
- Table 50 Change in the number of Vivacom's pay TV and IPTV subscribers 2013 2020
- Table 51 Change in A1 Bulgaria's financial data ( million) 2012 2022
- Table 52 Growth in the number of A1 Bulgaria's fixed RGUs 2012 2022
- Table 53 Increase in the number of A1 Bulgaria's fixed access lines 2012 2021
- Table 54 Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity 2012 2027
- Table 55 Increase in international internet bandwidth 2012 2020
- Table 56 Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration 1995 2011
- Table 57 Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity 2000 2011
- Table 58 Historic - International bandwidth 2000 2011
- Table 59 Historic - Ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers 2002 2011
- Table 60 Historic - Total SMS messages sent 2003 2011
- Table 61 Historic - Telenor Bulgaria's financial data (NOK million) 2013 2018
- Table 62 Historic - Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration 2005 2011
- Table 63 Historic - Change in mobile market share of subscribers by operator 2006 2011
- Table 64 Historic - A1 Bulgaria's prepaid subscribers 2004 2011
- Table 65 Historic - Total MMS messages sent 2003 2011
- Table 66 Historic - Change in the number of A1 Bulgaria's mobile subscriber base (million) 2004 2011
- Table 67 Historic - Growth in the number of cable broadband subscribers 2005 2011
- Table 68 Historic - Decline in the number of DSL subscribers 2005 2011
- Table 69 Historic - Development of in telecom sector revenue, annual change 2006 2011
- Table 70 Historic - Change in mobile market share of revenue by operator 2007 2011
- Table 71 Historic - Increase in A1 Bulgaria's Minutes of Use (MOU) 2007 2011
- Table 72 Historic -Telenor Bulgaria subscribers 2007 2011
- Table 73 Historic - Telecom sector revenue by service (BGN million) 2008 2011
- Table 74 Historic - Change in the number of fixed number portings 2009 2011
- Table 75 Historic - Annual mobile number portings 2008 2011
- Table 76 Historic - Change in mobile market revenue share by service 2019 2011
- Table 77 Historic - Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration 2009 2011
- Table 78 Historic - Growth in the number of A1 Bulgaria' mobile broadband subscribers 2008 2011
- Table 79 Historic - A1 Bulgaria prepaid, postpaid, and blended monthly ARPU (/month) 2009 2011
- Table 80 Historic - Growth in total internet (retail and wholesale) revenue 2008 2011
- Table 81 Historic - Growth in the number of FttP subscribers 2008 2011
- Table 82 Historic - Development of Vivacom's financial data (BGN million) 2009 2011
- Table 83 Historic - Change in A1 Bulgaria's financial data ( million) 2009 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 Investment in NGA 2013 2020
- Chart 11 Development of in telecom sector revenue, annual change 2012 2020
- Chart 12 Telecom sector revenue by service 2012 2020
- Chart 13 Proportion of telecom sector revenue by service 2012 2020
- Chart 14 Change in the share of fixed-voice revenue by type 2012 2020
- Chart 15 Change in the number of fixed number portings 2012 2020
- Chart 16 Annual mobile number portings 2012 2020
- Chart 17 Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Chart 18 Decline in mobile sector revenue 2012 2020
- Chart 19 Change in the proportion of mobile revenue by service 2012 2020
- Chart 20 Change in mobile market share of subscribers by operator 2012 2020
- Chart 21 Change in mobile market share of revenue by operator 2012 2020
- Chart 22 Ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers 2012 2020
- Chart 23 Mobile base stations in service by technology 2012 2020
- Chart 24 Change in the number of A1 Bulgaria's prepaid subscribers 2012 2020
- Chart 25 Growth in the number of LTE subscribers 2015 2020
- Chart 26 Drop in SMS traffic 2012 2020
- Chart 27 Drop in MMS traffic 2012 2020
- Chart 28 Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Chart 29 Growth in the number of A1 Bulgaria' mobile broadband subscribers 2012 2021
- Chart 30 Change in the number of Vivacom's mobile subscribers 2012 2020
- Chart 31 Development of Vivacom's mobile revenue 2012 2019
- Chart 32 Vivacom annualised mobile ARPU 2012 2019
- Chart 33 A1 Bulgaria prepaid, postpaid, and blended monthly ARPU 2012 2021
- Chart 34 Change in the number of A1 Bulgaria's mobile subscriber base 2012 2022
- Chart 35 Increase in A1 Bulgaria's Minutes of Use (MoU) 2012 2020
- Chart 36 Change in the number of Yettel's mobile subscribers 2012 2021
- Chart 37 Development of Yettel's financial data 2017 2021
- Chart 38 Yettel's mobile ARPU 2018 2021
- Chart 39 Change in the share of fixed-line broadband subscribers by operator 2017 2020
- Chart 40 Change in fixed-line broadband market share by access type 2012 2020
- Chart 41 Increase in the total internet subscribers (fixed and mobile) and annual change 2013 2020
- Chart 42 Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Chart 43 Change in the proportion of fixed broadband subscribers by data speed 2012 2020
- Chart 44 Growth in total internet (retail and wholesale) revenue 2012 2020
- Chart 45 Retail and wholesale internet revenue 2013 2020
- Chart 46 Growth in the number of cable broadband subscribers 2012 2020
- Chart 47 Decline in the number of DSL subscribers 2012 2020
- Chart 48 Growth in the number of Vivacom's fixed broadband subscribers 2012 2020
- Chart 49 Growth in the number of A1 Bulgaria's fixed broadband subscribers 2012 2022
- Chart 50 Increase in the number of Vivacom's fibre broadband connections and homes passed 2013 2020
- Chart 51 Growth in the number of FttP subscribers 2012 2020
- Chart 52 Development of Vivacom's financial data 2012 2020
- Chart 53 Development of Vivacom's financial data by sector 2012 2019
- Chart 54 Change in the number of Vivacom's subscribers by sector 2012 2020
- Chart 55 Change in the number of Vivacom's pay TV and IPTV subscribers 2013 2020
- Chart 56 Change in A1 Bulgaria's financial data 2012 2022
- Chart 57 Growth in the number of A1 Bulgaria's fixed RGUs 2012 2022
- Chart 58 Increase in the number of A1 Bulgaria's fixed access lines 2012 2021
- Chart 59 Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity 2012 2027
- Chart 60 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
