Telecommunications Market Data Update Q3 2007

Published 21|02|08

1. Market Monitor

In this section we highlight some of the main trends emerging from the data we collect on the UK Telecommunications sector. We hope that by doing this we will contribute to a greater understanding of the changing ways in which telecommunications services are delivered and consumed within the UK.

Fixed

• In the twelve months to September 2007 fixed voice call volumes decreased by 12% while mobile call volumes grew by 20% during the same period indicating that the substitution of fixed calls by mobile calls continues.
• Total fixed voice revenue (including access charges and excluding non-geographic fixed voice revenues) was unchanged during the period, despite a small increase in call revenues.
• Including CPS (carrier pre-selection) and direct access (including cable), more than 50% of lines were taking call services from an operator other than BT at the end of September 2007.
• BT’s share of voice call volumes (excluding voice calls to non-geographic fixed numbers) was unchanged at 47% in the period.

Internet

• By the end of September 2007 there were an estimated 17.5 million internet subscriptions in the UK (excluding corporate connections).
• Of this total 15.0 million (85%) were broadband.

Mobile^(-1-)

• Total mobile revenue increased by an average of 5% across the four mobile operators during Q3 2007, driven by growth in revenue from calls and other charges.
• Growth in the number of active mobile subscriptions, largely driven by individuals’ use of multiple handsets or multiple SIMs, continued during Q3 2007, averaging 1.5% growth over the three month period.
• Larger volumes of bundled SMS and greater usage of MMS are driving growth in messaging with volumes growing by 5% in the three month period ending September 2007.

2. Fixed telecoms market data tables

2007 Q3 (July to September 2007)

Network access and call revenues by operator
Exchange line numbers at end of quarter by operator
Call volumes by operator
Call revenues by call type and operator
Call volumes by call type and operator
Residential network access and call revenues by operator
Residential exchange line numbers at end of quarter by operator
Residential call volumes by operator
Residential call revenues by call type and operator
Residential call volumes by call type and operator
Business network access and call revenues by operator
Business exchange lines at end of quarter by operator
Business call volumes by operator
Business call revenues by call type and operator
Business call volumes by call type and operator
Broadband internet subscribers
Lines with Carrier Pre-Selection

3. Mobile telecoms market data tables

2007 Q2 (April to June 2007)

Estimated retail revenues generated by mobile telephony
Call volumes by call type and operator
Volume of SMS and MMS
Subscriber numbers by operator
Average retail revenue per subscriber
Interconnection call volumes

Notes:
Please note this update is based on calendar quarters:
Q1: January to March
Q2: April to June
Q3: July to September
Q4: October to December

The data in these tables are the most accurate currently available. Where historical restatements have occurred, this is due to either operator restatements or improvements in methodology.

The full document is available below

Footnotes:

1.- The commentary provided only refers to the four mobile operators covered in this report.