Estonia's delayed 5G auction providing MNOs with 3.5GHz spectrum
Investment in Estonia's telecom market has been focussed on fixed-line infrastructure upgrades, and the deployment of 5G services. Fixed broadband subscribers are gradually migrating from DSL to fibre, with the legacy copper being replaced.The MNOs Telia, Elisa, and Tele2 have comprehensive LTE infrastructure in place, and have in recent years channelled investment to 5G. Several 5G trials have been undertaken in recent years, though commercial service launches have been restricted by the lack of available spectrum. The regulator began to address this in May 2022, following the award of a 3.5GHz concession to Elisa. A second licence award will allow sufficient spectrum to provide national coverage by 2022. Delays in holding this spectrum were partly the result of difficulties in providing services in areas bordering Russia.
Progressive government policies on broadband infrastructure and an active regulatory regime have also contributed to Estonia having one of the highest broadband penetration rates in Europe. Broadband is available via a range of fixed-line and wireless technologies, with ADSL2+, FttP, cable, Wi-Fi, and WiMAX platforms widely available. Elisa's consolidation with the principal cableco Starman in April 2017 has enabled the operator to offer a more comprehensive suite of bundled services, and so compete more effectively with Telia.
This report provides an overview of Estonia's telecom market, the performance of the key operators, recent regulatory developments, and the status of fixed-line networks and the NGN. It also includes a range of operating and financial data. In addition, the report reviews developments in the fixed and fixed-wireless broadband sectors, as also the mobile voice and data sectors including regulatory measures and operator strategies relating to 5G.
Key Developments:
- Telia Estonia launches Smart Wi-Fi service;
- Elisa Estonia launches a limited 5G service using newly secured 3.5GHz spectrum;
- Government amends Electronic Communications Act to make conditions on use of technologies and equipment for telecom networks;
- Government commits 20 million to rural broadband program;
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
- Historical overview
- Regulatory environment
- Historical overview
- Regulatory authorities
- Fixed-line developments
- Telecoms sector liberalisation
- Privatisation
- Interconnect
- Access
- Carrier Selection and Carrier PreSelection (CPS)
- Number Portability (NP)
- European Electronic Communications Code
- Mobile network developments
- Licensing
- Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
- Mobile Termination Rate (MRT)
- Roaming
- Coordination with Latvia
- Mobile market
- Market analysis
- Mobile statistics
- Mobile infrastructure
- 5G
- 4G (LTE)
- 3G
- Other infrastructure developments
- Mobile voice
- Mobile data
- Short Message Service (SMS)
- Multimedia Message Service (MMS)
- Mobile broadband
- Major mobile operators
- Telia Estonia (Eesti Mobiltelefon, EMT)
- Elisa
- Tele2 Estonia
- Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs)
- Mobile content and applications
- Location-based services
- M-commerce
- Fixed-line broadband market
- Market analysis
- Broadband statistics
- Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks
- Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
- Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
- Other fixed broadband services
- Wi-Fi
- Li-Fi
- WiMAX
- Digital economy
- Estonian Information Society Strategy
- Legislation
- E-government
- Infrastructure
- eID card
- E-Residency
- EEBone
- E-commerce
- E-education
- E-health
- Fixed network operators
- Overview of operators
- Telia Estonia
- Tele2 Estonia
- Elisa
- Telecommunications infrastructure
- Overview of the national telecom network
- Telia Estonia
- Alternative operators
- International networks
- Smart infrastructure
- Appendix - Historic data
- Glossary of abbreviations
- Related reports
List of Tables
List of Charts
List of Exhibits
Companies Mentioned
- Telia Estonia
- Tele2 Estonia
- Elisa Telia Estonia
- Elisa
- Starman
- STV
- Viasat
- Levira
- Baltic Broadband
