2012 Germany - Telecoms, IP Networks, Digital Media and Forecasts

Telekom Deutschland looks to DSL vectoring to meet broadband targets

BuddeComm’s annual publication, Germany - Telecoms, IP Networks, Digital Media and Forecasts, provides a comprehensive overview of the trends and developments in the telecommunications and digital media markets in one of Europe’s largest countries. The report includes the regulator’s market data for 2011, VATM market data for 2011, telcos’ operating and financial data to September 2012, and market developments to December 2012.

Telecom market overview

Germany’s telecom market is supported by one of the largest and more affluent populations in Europe. Although the VATM expected total turnover to fall slightly in 2012, BITKOM forecasted a 2.8% growth in IT and telecoms in the year, falling to 1.6% in 2013. The market has been propped up by broadband and mobile data services while revenue from mobile voice services will continue to fall steadily.

Mobile market

The mobile sector will be a key growth area in coming years, with MNOs keen to develop their mobile data revenue to offset declining voice revenue. LTE networks are being built out rapidly to accommodate consumer needs for quality data and services, while MNOs since the end of 2012 have been able to utilize the 800MHz band for LTE in urban as well as rural areas.

Germany – Key telecom parameters – 2010; 2012

(Source: BuddeComm) 

Market Highlights

• Telekom Deutschland is looking to DL vectoring to meet the government’s broadband targets, so extending the capacity of copper while delaying higher investment in fibre networks. Regulatory approval is still required since vectoring affects altnets which rely on copper access.
• The excellent broadband infrastructure in Germany has helped maintain the country as one of the more mature in the region. Although DSL accounts for most connections, consolidation within the cable sector has established a small number of significant players able to take advantage of scale to invest in network upgrades. The merger of Liberty Global’s Unity with Kabel BW in mid-2012 brought together Germany’s second and third largest cablecos.
• The number of homes passed with fibre has been slower than expected, largely due to economic restraints on telcos.
• The volume of mobile data traffic has grown sharply since 2006, brought on by the expanded network coverage, steadily improving transmission rates, the growing availability of data-intensive applications, and the prevalence of more capable devices. In addition, the reduced rates for mobile data services and the introduction of transparent tariff models for data use will further encourage data use among subscribers during the next few years.
• MNOs have invested in LTE in a range of frequencies, while they are now free to utilize the 800MHz band in urban areas across all 13 Länder having fulfilled their rural coverage obligations

This report is essential reading for those needing high level strategic information and objective analysis on the telecom sector in Germany. It provides further information on:

• Market liberalisation and regulatory issues;
• The impact of the global economic crisis;
• Telecoms operators – privatisation, acquisitions, new licences;
• Mobile data market developments in coming years in light of spectrum auctions and new license awards;
• 3G/4G developments, regulatory issues and technologies including HSPA and LTE;
• Broadband migration to an FttH architecture;
• Historical and current subscriber statistics and forecasts;
• ARPU statistics and forecasts.

Data in this report is the latest available at the time of preparation and may not be for the current year.