Category Archives: Analysis

ARPU doesn’t follow usage upwards. If we can’t monetise gigabytes, then what?

Tefficient’s 27th public analysis of the development and drivers of mobile data compares 44 countries from all regions of the world. We say hello to the new additions Chile, New Zealand and Qatar.

Usage is growing in every single country, but few are able to turn this into ARPU growth. Too few.

Continue reading ARPU doesn’t follow usage upwards. If we can’t monetise gigabytes, then what?

European FMC propositions and outcome

Analysis & Go-to-market, 2020

How have operators introduced fixed-mobile convergent plans in Europe’s most advanced markets France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Switzerland, the Netherlands – and in emerging FMC markets like the UK and Sweden? How – and how quickly – did competition react?

Using facts: What is the take-up of these FMC plans? How have the FMC introductions affected mobile and fixed market share, customer churn, acquisition & retention cost, demand for fibre and TV – and revenue and margin?

How do you avoid making FMC a discount-centric thing? How have the best FMC propositions been put together and how have they been marketed? Is there a way to leverage content and exclusivity?

Is 5G changing FMC?

Continue reading European FMC propositions and outcome

The gig economy: 58% more gigabytes generated 0.4% more revenue

5G monetisation lessons from China and Korea

Tefficient’s 26th public analysis on the development and drivers of mobile data ranks 105 operators based on average data usage per SIM, total data traffic and revenue per gigabyte in 2019.

Continue reading The gig economy: 58% more gigabytes generated 0.4% more revenue

Nine months with 5G: 4.7 million subs – each using 27 GB per month

Lobbyists coined the term “the race to 5G”. If there ever was such a race, South Korea won it as unlike other markets there are – read on – many reported numbers to support a leadership claim. With 4.7 million 5G subscriptions by the end of 2019, 7% of Korea’s mobile subscribers used 5G just nine months after launch.

LG U+ site with Huawei 5G gear on the Namsan park above Seoul (photo: Fredrik Jungermann)

The subscriber take-up has been fast, but not linear. In August, September and October, when Samsung launched three new 5G smartphones (Note 10, A90 and Fold) and LG updated its V50 smartphone, 5G sales was exceptionally fast. During November and December no new smartphones were introduced and South Korea missed the expectation of 5 million 5G subscribers by year end 2019.

5G subscriber base per month since launch 5th of April (source data: MSIT)
Continue reading Nine months with 5G: 4.7 million subs – each using 27 GB per month

The FMC hoax

Without subscription growth it’s difficult for mature market operators to report service revenue growth.

Some operators – anxious to still show growth – have thus begun to regularly highlight their fixed-mobile convergence base in quarterly results presentations. It’s most often a smoke screen. Here are seven examples – of which six aren’t growth stories.

From Telefónica’s Q3 2019 presentation (on Spain)
Continue reading The FMC hoax

Mobile data consumption continues to grow – a majority of operators now rewarded with ARPU

Taiwan: Unlimited is so last year – Korea: 5G boosts usage

Tefficient’s 24th public analysis on the development and drivers of mobile data ranks 115 operators based on average data usage per SIM, total data traffic and revenue per gigabyte in 1H 2019.

The data usage per SIM grew for all; everybody climbed our Christmas tree. More than half of the operators could turn that data usage growth into ARPU growth for the first time a majority is in green. Read our analysis to see who delivered on “more for more” and who didn’t.

Speaking of which, we take a closer look at the development of one of the unlimited powerhouses Taiwan. Are people getting tired of mobile data?

We also provide insight into South Korea the world’s leading 5G market. Just how much effect did 5G have on the data usage?

Continue reading Mobile data consumption continues to grow – a majority of operators now rewarded with ARPU

How South Korea’s operators drive demand for 5G

Reference: Analysis and Go-to-market, 2019

Nowhere else in the world will you find as many 5G users as in South Korea. Nowhere else will you find as many 5G base stations up and running. If there ever was a race to 5G, the Korean government and industry won it.

Seeing is believing: After having dug up, read and compiled all reporting and data on Korea’s mobile business there was no other way forward than to seeing it for ourselves and interview people involved in creating Korea’s ‘5G wonder’.

We spent eight busy days (11-18 July) in Seoul to finish a comprehensive 106-page analysis – full of graphs and photos – with recommendations for European operators.

Continue reading How South Korea’s operators drive demand for 5G

Prepping for 5G: Monetisation model and FWA define usage

This is tefficient’s 23rd public analysis of the development and drivers of mobile data.

Mobile data usage is still growing in all of the 39 countries covered by this analysis. Two countries stand out – China and India.

But China and India aren’t yet challenging the usage top – where the two unlimited superpowers, Finland and Taiwan, still reign.

Data-only remains a key driver for overall usage and new figures from Czech Republic, Latvia, Finland and Austria add insight to the extreme usage pattern of fixed wireless access.

Continue reading Prepping for 5G: Monetisation model and FWA define usage