The increasing inflation and geopolitical tension so far did not have significant influence upon the electronic communications market, which is also predetermined by valid contractual liabilities. A growth of 0.2 percent of the total revenue was recorded during the third quarter this year and the data collected by Communications Regulatory Authority shows that the revenue reached 202.8 million EUR.
“The biggest share of total revenue from electronic communications just like during the second quarter of 2022 was comprised by the revenue from retail mobile communication services”, told the Advisor of Economic Analysis Unit of Communications Regulatory Authority Vilma Grigaliūnienė. The income from mobile internet comprised 40.1 percent, whereas the income from voice communication services – 18.4 percent.
Total revenue from mobile internet – both wholesale and retail services – manifested the most rapid growth. During the quarter they increased by 5.9 percent, whereas the annual increase reached 15.1 percent and during the third quarter amounted to 83.7 million EUR.
“The demand of mobile internet services is proven by both the growing number of SIM cards used for providing internet access services and the increasing number of data transferred in Lithuania”, noted V. Grigaliūnienė.
During this quarter the number of SIM cards increased by 2.9 percent, during the year – by 7.6 percent and in the third quarter it comprised 3.7 million units. The number of data sent and received in Lithuania within a quarter increased by 7.1 percent, while per year the number grew by 23.2 percent and amounted to 279.2 PB.
The development of 5G started
The auctions for two radio frequency bands (700 Mhz and 3500 Mhz) necessary for introduction of 5G communication technologies were completed in August. During the auctions network operators “Telia Lietuva”, “Tele2” and “Bitė Lietuva” acquired the permits to use radio frequencies for the period of 20 years.
“In the future the services provided within these radio frequency bands shall ensure especially high-speed internet in the less populated areas, shall guarantee extremely small request delay and shall create preconditions to provide services to hundreds of thousands of devices within the same square kilometre simultaneously. Such networks are especially awaited by developers of self-driving cars, developers of robotics, automation and the internet of things”, highlighted the Director of Radio Communications Department of Communications Regulatory Authority Augutis Čėsna.
As soon as the auctions ended, the introduction of 5G communication networks in Lithuania was commenced. At the end of the third quarter of 2022 there were 211 base stations operating in Lithuania, whereas in November the number of 5G_NR base stations already reached 1300. Using 5G technologies, during the third quarter of 2022, 261 TB of data was transferred.
Fixed internet service providers are also approaching a gigabyte society. During the third quarter the number of fixed internet service users, who have chosen 1Gb/s and bigger high-speed, was growing rapidly: within the quarter their number increased by 19.9 percent, whereas per year it grew by 67.7 percent. During the quarter the number of service receivers, who have chosen 100 Mb/s and bigger high-speed increased by 3.1 percent, whereas per year it grew by 10.9 percent. These service receivers comprised 60.5 percent of the total number of fixed internet service receivers.
The review of electronic communications sector for the third quarter of 2022 was prepared based on the data about the electronic communications activity performed during the third quarter of 2022 submitted by electronic communications operators and service providers to RRT.
The entire review can be found on RRT website.
Updated on 2023-01-06