Category Archives: mobile data usage

5G, Analysis, Austria, data monetisation, Finland, fixed data usage, FWA, mobile data usage, Revenues and pricing

ARPU growth softens further as mobile data usage growth slows in half of the countries

Tefficient’s 46th public analysis of mobile data trends and drivers compares data from 40 countries where M2M/IoT can be excluded from the total bases. Mobile data usage grew year-on-year in most markets, but Turkey and Qatar recorded declines.

Saudi Arabia remains the usage leader and Latvia the runner-up, although statistics for both countries aren’t available for the first half of 2025.

Growth deceleration decelerated

After the sharp slowdown from 2023 to 2024, usage growth rates have largely stabilised. However, about half of the countries had slower growth in the first half of 2025 compared with the same period in 2024. Among the countries reported so far, Portugal posted the highest annual increase at 32%.

Continue reading ARPU growth softens further as mobile data usage growth slows in half of the countries →
5G, Analysis, China, data monetisation, FWA, India, mobile data usage, Revenues and pricing

69% of operators leveraged pricing power to increase ARPU alongside rising data usage

31% failed – often operating from a low-usage position

In Tefficient’s 45th public analysis of mobile data trends, 116 operators are ranked based on metrics such as average data usage per subscription, total data traffic, and revenue per gigabyte.

Converting data usage growth to ARPU growth – not that simple

Continue reading 69% of operators leveraged pricing power to increase ARPU alongside rising data usage →
5G, Analysis, Austria, data monetisation, Finland, fixed data usage, FWA, mobile data usage, Revenues and pricing

The demand for additional mobile data is weaker than ever – ARPU growth softens

Tefficient’s 44th public analysis of mobile data trends and drivers compares data from 40 countries, where M2M/IoT can be excluded from the total bases. Mobile data usage grew year-on-year in every country, with Saudi Arabia maintaining its position as the usage leader and Latvia emerging as the new runner-up.

Growth decelerated again – also in GB terms

However, growth rates have decelerated. Greece recorded the highest annual increase at 38%, while Croatia posted the lowest at just 2%. Even in absolute terms [incremental GB per subscription], most countries experienced slower growth in 2024 than in 2023. Overall, the demand for additional mobile data is weaker than ever – although FWA is included in most figures.

Continue reading The demand for additional mobile data is weaker than ever – ARPU growth softens →
5G, Analysis, Austria, data monetisation, Finland, fixed data usage, FWA, mobile data usage, Revenues and pricing

Is the end of the S-curve in sight?

Tefficient’s 43rd public analysis of mobile data trends and drivers compares data from 39 countries, where M2M/IoT can be excluded from the total bases. Mobile data usage grew in every country year-on-year, with Saudi Arabia remaining the usage leader.

Growth rates decelerated

However, growth rates have decelerated – Greece saw the highest increase at 55%, while Croatia and Finland posted just 5%.

Continue reading Is the end of the S-curve in sight? →
Analysis, CAPEX, data monetisation, Denmark, Finland, FTTx, FWA, mobile data usage, Nordic, Norway, OPEX, References, Revenues and pricing, Sweden

Assessment of Norwegian mobile revenues and fixed broadband pricing in a Nordic context – 2024

Reference: Analysis, 2024

Norway’s Ministry of Digitalisation and Public Governance today published two analyses commissioned from Tefficient.

The conclusion is summarised (in Norwegian) in a press release from the Ministry.

Both analyses are very comprehensive and compare Norway to the three fellow Nordic countries Denmark, Sweden, and Finland. It means that they are highly interesting not just for the industry and policy makers in Norway, but in all four countries.

An example graph from the fixed analysis shows how the average monthly subscription fee compares between different plans with different maximum download throughput:

The average monthly subscription fee during the first 5 years of a fixed broadband contract, measured in purchasing power parity adjusted Norwegian kroner. Each dot represents an actual consumer offer. In total 6500 offers across 385 addresses were documented.
Continue reading Assessment of Norwegian mobile revenues and fixed broadband pricing in a Nordic context – 2024 →
5G, Analysis, data monetisation, FWA, mobile data usage, Revenues and pricing

Fewer operators capitalised on pricing power to deliver “more for more”

Tefficient's Christmas tree graph showing the year-on-year development both in mobile data usage per subscription and ARPU (average revenue per user)

In Tefficient’s 42nd public analysis of mobile data trends, 123 operators are ranked based on metrics like average data usage per subscription, total data traffic, and revenue per gigabyte.

In 2023, 93% of operators experienced growth in data usage per subscription, with 71% of them successfully converting this into higher ARPU.

Continue reading Fewer operators capitalised on pricing power to deliver “more for more” →
5G, Analysis, Austria, data monetisation, Finland, fixed data usage, FWA, mobile data usage, Revenues and pricing

Change at the top as growth slows

Tefficient's comparison of the average mobile data usage per subscription between a large number of countries from 2017 and 2023

Tefficient’s 41st public analysis of mobile data development and drivers compares 39 countries worldwide, where M2M/IoT can be excluded from the total bases. Mobile data usage grew in 38 of these, with Bahrain as the only exception.

Finland no longer leads in usage

For the first time since 2013, Finland doesn’t lead in usage. Saudi Arabia is the new world leader with more than 45 GB per average subscription in 2023.

Continue reading Change at the top as growth slows →
Analysis, Austria, Belgium, Benchmarks, Croatia, data monetisation, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, mobile data usage, Netherlands, References, Revenues and pricing, Slovenia, Spain

Evaluating mobile service value for money across 12 EU countries

Reference: Analysis, 2024

The Hellenic Telecommunications & Post Commission, EETT, functions as Greece’s national regulatory authority for telecommunications.

In response to EETT’s request, Tefficient has conducted an extensive benchmark analysis, focusing on value for money, spanning twelve EU and Euro countries: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain.

A map showing the differences in the total mobile service revenue per GB across 12 EU countries as per Tefficient's evaluation for the Greek regulatory authority, EETT

While the primary focus of the benchmark is on Greece, its insights provide valuable perspectives for the telecommunications industry in the remaining eleven countries.

Key conclusions for Greece include:

  • Mobile Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) is approximately on par but with a notable increase
  • Mobile data usage is low but exhibits the most significant growth
  • Voice usage is the highest among the peer group but continues to see robust growth
  • The total mobile revenue per gigabyte of mobile data is high but demonstrates a marked decrease
  • Voice revenue per mobile voice minute aligns with the median and experiences median erosion
  • In terms of value for money, Greece ranks weaker in data offerings compared to most of its peers but stronger than most in voice services

Several selected example graphs are presented below.

Continue reading Evaluating mobile service value for money across 12 EU countries →
5G, Blog, fixed data usage, mobile data usage, Wi-Fi

Are fixed and Wi-Fi actually losing ground to mobile?

During the early days of 5G, the mobile industry was sometimes caught saying that mobile – with the help of 5G – would kill Wi-Fi. That hasn’t happened, obviously. Usage of public Wi-Fi hotspots would likely decline if more users had mobile data plans that are unlimited in volume. T-Mobile suggested it in this blog post from December 2021.

Blog from T-Mobile USA
Blog from T-Mobile US mentioning that 13% fewer Magenta MAX users are connecting to Wi-Fi.

But even if so, few users would stop using their Wi-Fi at home. Home is where Wi-Fi connects automatically and where a majority of usage takes place.

Ironically, the greatest use case for 5G so far is to substitute fixed broadband. 5G has encouraged many MNOs globally to, for the first time, seriously push fixed wireless access, or FWA, services using their mobile networks. Why is it ironic? The mobile industry has for more than a decade specified and built 5G, the most advanced and best mobile technology so far, but its primary use case to date is fixed. Sitting still.

Airtel India's Xstream AirFiber
Airtel India’s Xstream AirFiber.

While FWA could substitute a fixed broadband connection, especially DSL and cable, it does not substitute Wi-Fi, though. The FWA router converts 5G into Wi-Fi. Wi-Fi, not 5G, remains the interface to the connected devices in the home.

So while we, already, are tired of our own headline and the whole notion of “Wi-Fi vs. 5G”, we need to check the facts. After all, we are Tefficient and believers in data.

Continue reading Are fixed and Wi-Fi actually losing ground to mobile? →
5G, Analysis, data monetisation, FWA, Inflation, mobile data usage, Revenues and pricing, South Korea

Human customers subsidise M2M/IoT customers

Tefficient’s 40th public analysis of mobile data development and drivers compares 47 countries worldwide, including M2M/IoT in the total bases. Mobile data usage grew in 44 of them, with Austria, Bahrain and China being exceptions.

If you’d rather see the analysis excluding M2M, go here.

When usage grows, the growth rates are slowing. Cyprus, however, had an astonishing growth rate of 123%, in stark contrast to much slower growth rates, or even declines, elsewhere.

Continue reading Human customers subsidise M2M/IoT customers →