Serbia sees progress towards 5G auctions
Serbia's telecom industry has been liberalised in line with the principles of the EU's regulatory framework for communications, focussed on encouraging competition in telecom products and services, and ensuring universal access.
Considerable network investment has been undertaken in Serbia by incumbent and alternative operators in recent years, despite economic difficulties. This has helped to stimulate internet usage, which has also been bolstered by improved affordability as prices are reduced through competition. The pandemic has stimulated consumer take up of services, particularly mobile data. The government's various initiatives to improve rural broadband availability have also been supported by European development loans.
Serbia's high mobile penetration, partly the result of multiple SIM card use, has weighed on revenue growth in recent years, placing further pressure on operators to develop business models which encourage consumer use of mobile data services also in response to the continued substitution of fixed-line for mobile voice calls.
The regulator has yet to auction 5G-suitable frequencies, though operators are already investing in their networks in preparation for this next growth frontier. During 2021 the regulator resumed the process towards a 5G spectrum auction, which had been delayed owing to the onset of the covid-19 pandemic.
In early 2021 Telekom Srbija agreed to provide Telenor Serbia with access to its fibre network. Despite accusations from United Group, which owns the principal cable broadband player SBB, that the deal could undermine SBB's market position, the Group has also agreed to share network assets. Telenor (now operating as Yettel, and owned by the PPF Group), joined the fixed market in November 2021, launching fibre-based fixed broadband, fixed voice, and digital TV services. The operator is looking to bolster its returns by focussing more strongly on the uptake of converged services in the market. These developments could lead to a significant shift in the telecom market landscape.
The outbreak of the pandemic in 2020 had an immediate impact on telecoms services uptake. However, the sector has returned to growth buoyed by an improving economic outlook for the country and rising consumer and enterprise demand for advanced communications services. The crucial nature of telecom services, both for general communication as well as a tool for home-working, has helped to offset pressures on market development.
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:
- MTS trials 5G services with Ericsson, Yettel selects Huawei
- Telekom Srbija agrees to buy Posta NET
- PPF Group rebrands Telenor Serbia to Yettel
- Regulator invites expressions of interest for delayed spectrum auction
- SBB commits 240 million to fixed broadband network investment over three years
- European Investment Bank to lend Telekom Srbija 70 million to finance 5G, LTE and fibre network expansions
- A1 selects Nokia for countrywide 5G network expansion
- Report update includes the regulator's annual reports, market data report to March 2022, telcos' operating and financial data to Q1 2022, updated telecom Maturity Index charts and analyses, recent market developments.
Companies mentioned in this report:
Mobilna Telefonija Srbija (MTS), Telekom Srbija, Vip Mobile, Telenor Serbia, Serbia Broadband (SBB), I.KOM, Knight Development Support, Invest-Inenjering, Beogrid, JET TV, Kopernikus Technology, BeotelNet, Posta NET, Sat Trakt, Telemark and Radijus vektor.
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
- Law on Electronic Communications
- Regulatory authority
- Fixed-line developments
- Mobile network developments
Mobile market
- Market analysis
- Mobile statistics
- Mobile data
- Mobile broadband
- Mobile infrastructure
- Major mobile operators
- Mobile content and applications
Fixed-line broadband market
- Introduction and statistical overview
- Broadband statistics
- Fixed-line broadband technologies
Fixed network operators
- Telekom Srbija
Telecommunications infrastructure
- Overview of the national telecom network
- International infrastructure
Appendix Historic data
- Glossary of abbreviations
- Related reports
List of Tables
- Table 1 Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Serbia 2022 (e)
- Table 2 Share of telecom investment by service 2012 2020
- Table 3 Share of telecom revenue by service 2012 2020
- Table 4 Decline in the number of annual fixed number portings 2014 2022
- Table 5 Average mobile number portings per month 2012 2022
- Table 6 Annual and cumulative mobile number portings 2012 2022
- Table 7 Change in roaming voice traffic 2012 2020
- Table 8 Change in roaming voice revenue 2013 2020
- Table 9 Mobile base stations in service by MNO 2017 2020
- Table 10 Growth in mobile market revenue 2012 2020
- Table 11 Change in revenue market share by operator 2012 2020
- Table 12 Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Table 13 Growth in outgoing mobile traffic 2012 2022
- Table 14 Change in mobile operator market share by subscribers 2012 2022
- Table 15 Prepaid subscribers and proportion of total mobile subscribers 2012 2022
- Table 16 Change in the number of Yettel's prepaid subscribers 2012 2021
- Table 17 Change in the number of MTS's prepaid subscribers 2012 2020
- Table 18 Growth in mobile data traffic 2012 2022
- Table 19 Change in SMS traffic 2012 2022
- Table 20 Change in MMS traffic 2012 2020
- Table 21 Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Table 22 Mobile base stations installed by operator 2020
- Table 23 Growth in the number of M2M connections 2014 2022
- Table 24 Change in the number of Yettel's mobile subscribers 2012 2021
- Table 25 Development of Yettel's financial data ( million) 2018 2021
- Table 26 Change in Yettel's mobile ARPU (/user/month) 2018 2021
- Table 27 Change in the number of MTS's mobile subscribers (million) 2012 2020
- Table 28 Development of Vip Mobile's revenue and EBITDA ( million) 2012 2022
- Table 29 Development of Vip Mobile's operating income and capex ( million) 2012 2022
- Table 30 Development of Vip Mobile's financial data by quarter ( million) 2016 2022
- Table 31 Increase in the number of Vip Mobile's subscribers 2012 2022
- Table 32 Change in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers by platform 2012 2022
- Table 33 Change in the fixed broadband market share by platform 2015 2022
- Table 34 Fixed broadband market share by access speed 2016 2022
- Table 35 Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Table 36 Development of Telekom Srbija's DSL subscribers 2012 2020
- Table 37 Development of Telekom Srbija Group financial data (RSD billion) 2012 2020
- Table 38 Change in Telekom Srbija Group revenue by service (RSD billion) 2014 2020
- Table 39 Development of Telekom Srbija financial data (RSD billion) 2012 2020
- Table 40 Development of Telekom Srbija revenue by service (RSD billion) 2014 2020
- Table 41 Decline in Telekom Srbija Group fixed voice subscribers 2012 2020
- Table 42 Change in the number of Telekom Srbija's subscribers by sector (thousand) 2012 2020
- Table 43 Growth in Telekom Srbija Group investment 2013 2020
- Table 44 Change in Telekom Srbija investments by segment (RSD billion) 2012 2020
- Table 45 Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity 2012 2027
- Table 46 Decline in fixed line voice traffic 2012 2022
- Table 47 International internet bandwidth 2012 2020
- Table 48 Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate 1998 2011
- Table 49 Historic - International internet bandwidth 2004 2011
- Table 50 Historic - Development of Telekom Srbija Group financial data (RSD billion) 2007 2011
- Table 51 Historic - Telenor prepaid users 2007 2011
- Table 52 Historic - Telenor Serbia's mobile financial data (NOK million) 2007 2018
- Table 53 Historic - Vip Mobile revenue and EBITDA ( million) 2007 2011
- Table 54 Historic - Vip Mobile operating income and capex ( million) 2007 2011
- Table 55 Historic - Vip Mobile subscribers 2007 2011
- Table 56 Historic - Telenor Serbia mobile subscribers 2006 2011
- Table 57 Historic- Vip Mobile financial data by quarter ( million) 2007 2011
- Table 58 Historic - Fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration 2005 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 Share of telecom investment by service 2012 2020
- Chart 11 Share of telecom revenue by service 2012 2020
- Chart 12 Decline in the number of annual fixed number portings 2014 2022
- Chart 13 Average mobile number portings per month 2012 2022
- Chart 14 Annual and cumulative mobile number portings 2012 2022
- Chart 15 Change in roaming voice traffic 2012 2020
- Chart 16 Change in roaming voice revenue 2013 2020
- Chart 17 Mobile base stations in service by MNO 2017 2020
- Chart 18 Growth in mobile market revenue 2012 2020
- Chart 19 Change in revenue market share by operator 2012 2020
- Chart 20 Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Chart 21 Growth in outgoing mobile traffic 2012 2022
- Chart 22 Change in mobile operator market share by subscribers 2012 2022
- Chart 23 Prepaid subscribers and proportion of total mobile subscribers 2012 2022
- Chart 24 Change in the number of Yettel's prepaid subscribers 2012 2021
- Chart 25 Change in the number of MTS's prepaid subscribers 2012 2020
- Chart 26 Growth in mobile data traffic 2012 2022
- Chart 27 Change in SMS traffic 2012 2022
- Chart 28 Change in MMS traffic 2012 2020
- Chart 29 Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Chart 30 Growth in the number of M2M connections 2014 2022
- Chart 31 Change in the number of Yettel's mobile subscribers 2012 2021
- Chart 32 Development of Yettel's financial data 2018 2021
- Chart 33 Change in Yettel's mobile ARPU 2018 2021
- Chart 34 Change in the number of MTS's mobile subscribers 2012 2020
- Chart 35 Development of Vip Mobile's revenue and EBITDA 2012 2022
- Chart 36 Development of Vip Mobile's operating income and capex 2012 2022
- Chart 37 Development of Vip Mobile's financial data by quarter 2016 2022
- Chart 38 Increase in the number of Vip Mobile's subscribers 2012 2022
- Chart 39 Change in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers by platform 2012 2022
- Chart 40 Change in the fixed broadband market share by platform 2015 2022
- Chart 41 Fixed broadband market share by access speed 2016 2022
- Chart 42 Growth in the number of fixed-line broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
- Chart 43 Development of Telekom Srbija's DSL subscribers 2012 2020
- Chart 44 Development of Telekom Srbija Group financial data 2012 2020
- Chart 45 Change in Telekom Srbija Group revenue by service 2014 2020
- Chart 46 Development of Telekom Srbija financial data 2012 2020
- Chart 47 Development of Telekom Srbija revenue by service 2014 2020
- Chart 48 Decline in Telekom Srbija Group fixed voice subscribers 2012 2020
- Chart 49 Change in the number of Telekom Srbija subscribers by sector 2012 2020
- Chart 50 Growth in Telekom Srbija Group investment 2013 2020
- Chart 51 Change in Telekom Srbija investments by segment 2012 2020
- Chart 52 Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity 2012 2027
- Chart 53 Decline in fixed line voice traffic 2012 2022
- Chart 54 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
Companies Mentioned
- Mobilna Telefonija Srbija (MTS)
- Telekom Srbija
- Vip Mobile
- Telenor Serbia
- Serbia Broadband (SBB)
- I.KOM
- Knight Development Support
- Invest-Inenjering
- Beogrid
- JET TV
- Kopernikus Technology
- BeotelNet
- Posta NET
- Sat Trakt
- Telemark and Radijus vektor.
