Bulgaria - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband

Description

Bulgaria's MNOs approach 70% population coverage with 5G

Bulgaria's telcos saw a steady increase in revenue in 2021 and in the first quarter of 2022, despite the difficult economic climate and the economic effects of the pandemic. The pandemic has resulted in a decline in mobile revenue, largely the result of declining roaming and voice revenue. The number of subscribers was also negatively impacted by the consolidation of SIM cards among subscribers.

Despite growth in revenue, investment among operators has declined in recent years. Nevertheless, there has been continuing developments in 5G, as the MNOs seek to improve revenue streams from mobile data services. The telecom regulator finalised public consultations on its 5G spectrum strategy in late 2018, and in mid-2019 it made available 100MHz of spectrum in the 3.5GHz range for 5G.

A1 Bulgaria began trialling 5G using this spectrum in mid-2019, and launched commercial services soon afterwards, delivering data at up to 1Gb/s. Yettel (then branded as Telenor Bulgaria) began trialling 5G at the same time, while Vivacom launched its own 5G offer in September 2020. By May 2022, Vivacom had extended its 5G service to over 530 cities and towns. It expected that 5G would provide 72% population coverage by the end of the year.

1 Key statistics

2 Regional Europe Market Comparison

2.1 Market characteristics
2.2 Market Leaders
2.3 Market Challengers
2.4 Market Emergents
2.5 TMI versus GDP
2.6 Mobile and mobile broadband penetration
2.7 Fixed versus mobile broadband penetration

3 Country overview

4 Telecommunications market

4.1 Market analysis

5 Regulatory environment

5.1 Historical overview
5.2 Regulatory authority
5.3 Fixed line development
5.4 Mobile network developments

6 Mobile market

6.1 Market analysis
6.2 Mobile statistics
6.3 Mobile infrastructure
6.4 Major mobile operators

7 Fixed-line broadband market

7.1 Introduction and statistical overview
7.2 Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks
7.3 Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
7.4 Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP)
7.5 Other fixed broadband services

8 Digital economy

8.1 E-Entertainment
8.2 E-Learning
8.3 E-payments
8.4 E-government
8.5 E-health

9 Fixed network operators

9.1 Introduction
9.2 Vivacom/Bulgarian Telecommunications Company (BTC)
9.3 A1 Bulgaria

10 Telecommunications infrastructure

10.1 Overview of the national telecom network
10.2 International networks
10.3 Smart Grid

11 Appendix Historic data

12 Glossary of abbreviations

13 Related reports

Table 1 Top Level Country Statistics and Telco Authorities - Bulgaria 2022 (e)
Table 2 Telecom sector investment 2013 2020
Table 3 Investment in NGA 2013 2020
Table 4 Development of in telecom sector revenue, annual change 2012 2020
Table 6 Proportion of telecom sector revenue by service 2012 2020
Table 7 Change in the share of fixed-voice revenue by type 2012 2020
Table 8 Change in the number of fixed number portings 2012 2020
Table 9 Annual mobile number portings 2012 2020
Table 10 MTR 2014 2020
Table 11 Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
Table 12 Decline in mobile sector revenue 2012 2020
Table 13 Change in the proportion of mobile revenue by service 2012 2020
Table 14 Change in mobile market share of subscribers by operator 2012 2020
Table 15 Change in mobile market share of revenue by operator 2012 2020
Table 16 Ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers 2012 2020
Table 17 Mobile base stations in service by technology 2012 2020
Table 18 Change in the number of A1 Bulgaria's prepaid subscribers 2012 2020
Table 19 Growth in the number of LTE subscribers 2015 2020
Table 20 Drop in SMS traffic 2012 2020
Table 21 Drop in MMS traffic 2012 2020
Table 22 Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
Table 23 Share of mobile broadband subscribers by operator 2017 2020
Table 24 Growth in the number of A1 Bulgaria' mobile broadband subscribers 2012 2021
Table 25 Change in the number of Vivacom's mobile subscribers 2012 2020
Table 26 Development of Vivacom's mobile revenue (BGN million) 2012 2019
Table 27 Vivacom annualised mobile ARPU (BGN/month) 2012 2019
Table 28 A1 Bulgaria prepaid, postpaid, and blended monthly ARPU ( / month) 2012 2021
Table 29 Change in the number of A1 Bulgaria's mobile subscriber base (million) 2012 2022
Table 30 Increase in A1 Bulgaria's Minutes of Use (MoU) 2012 2020
Table 31 Change in the number of Yettel's mobile subscribers (million) 2012 2021
Table 32 Development of Yettel's financial data ( million) 2017 2021
Table 33 Yettel's mobile ARPU ( / month) 2018 2021
Table 34 Change in the share of fixed-line broadband subscribers by operator 2017 2020
Table 35 Change in fixed-line broadband market share by access type 2012 2020
Table 36 Increase in the total internet subscribers (fixed and mobile) and annual change 2013 2020
Table 37 Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
Table 38 Change in the proportion of fixed broadband subscribers by data speed 2012 2020
Table 39 Growth in total internet (retail and wholesale) revenue 2012 2020
Table 40 Retail and wholesale internet revenue (BGN million) 2013 2020
Table 41 Growth in the number of cable broadband subscribers 2012 2020
Table 42 Decline in the number of DSL subscribers 2012 2020
Table 43 Growth in the number of Vivacom's fixed broadband subscribers 2012 2020
Table 44 Growth in the number of A1 Bulgaria's fixed broadband subscribers 2012 2022
Table 45 Increase in the number of Vivacom's fibre broadband connections and homes passed (thousand) 2013 2020
Table 46 Growth in the number of FttP subscribers 2012 2020
Table 47 Development of Vivacom's financial data (BGN million) 2012 2020
Table 48 Development of Vivacom's financial data by sector (BGN million) 2012 2019
Table 49 Change in the number of Vivacom's subscribers by sector (million) 2012 2020
Table 50 Change in the number of Vivacom's pay TV and IPTV subscribers 2013 2020
Table 51 Change in A1 Bulgaria's financial data ( million) 2012 2022
Table 52 Growth in the number of A1 Bulgaria's fixed RGUs 2012 2022
Table 53 Increase in the number of A1 Bulgaria's fixed access lines 2012 2021
Table 54 Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity 2012 2027
Table 55 Increase in international internet bandwidth 2012 2020
Table 56 Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration 1995 2011
Table 57 Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity 2000 2011
Table 58 Historic - International bandwidth 2000 2011
Table 59 Historic - Ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers 2002 2011
Table 60 Historic - Total SMS messages sent 2003 2011
Table 61 Historic - Telenor Bulgaria's financial data (NOK million) 2013 2018
Table 62 Historic - Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration 2005 2011

Table 63 Historic - Change in mobile market share of subscribers by operator 2006 2011

Table 64 Historic - A1 Bulgaria's prepaid subscribers 2004 2011
Table 65 Historic - Total MMS messages sent 2003 2011
Table 66 Historic - Change in the number of A1 Bulgaria's mobile subscriber base (million) 2004 2011
Table 67 Historic - Growth in the number of cable broadband subscribers 2005 2011
Table 68 Historic - Decline in the number of DSL subscribers 2005 2011
Table 69 Historic - Development of in telecom sector revenue, annual change 2006 2011
Table 70 Historic - Change in mobile market share of revenue by operator 2007 2011
Table 71 Historic - Increase in A1 Bulgaria's Minutes of Use (MOU) 2007 2011
Table 72 Historic -Telenor Bulgaria subscribers 2007 2011
Table 73 Historic - Telecom sector revenue by service (BGN million) 2008 2011
Table 74 Historic - Change in the number of fixed number portings 2009 2011
Table 75 Historic - Annual mobile number portings 2008 2011
Table 76 Historic - Change in mobile market revenue share by service 2019 2011
Table 77 Historic - Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration 2009 2011
Table 78 Historic - Growth in the number of A1 Bulgaria' mobile broadband subscribers 2008 2011
Table 79 Historic - A1 Bulgaria prepaid, postpaid, and blended monthly ARPU ( / month) 2009 2011
Table 80 Historic - Growth in total internet (retail and wholesale) revenue 2008 2011
Table 81 Historic - Growth in the number of FttP subscribers 2008 2011
Table 82 Historic - Development of Vivacom's financial data (BGN million) 2009 2011
Table 83 Historic - Change in A1 Bulgaria's financial data ( million) 2009 2011
Chart 1 Europe Telecoms Maturity Index Market Leaders
Chart 2 Europe Telecoms Maturity Index Market Challengers
Chart 3 Europe Telecoms Maturity Index Market Emergents
Chart 4 Europe - Telecoms Maturity Index vs GDP per capita
Chart 5 Europe Mobile subscriber penetration vs mobile broadband penetration
Chart 6 Scandinavia/Baltics fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 7 Northern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 8 Eastern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 9 Southern Europe fixed and mobile broadband penetration
Chart 10 Investment in NGA 2013 2020
Chart 11 Development of in telecom sector revenue, annual change 2012 2020
Chart 12 Telecom sector revenue by service 2012 2020
Chart 13 Proportion of telecom sector revenue by service 2012 2020
Chart 14 Change in the share of fixed-voice revenue by type 2012 2020
Chart 15 Change in the number of fixed number portings 2012 2020
Chart 16 Annual mobile number portings 2012 2020
Chart 17 Growth in the number of mobile subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
Chart 18 Decline in mobile sector revenue 2012 2020
Chart 19 Change in the proportion of mobile revenue by service 2012 2020
Chart 20 Change in mobile market share of subscribers by operator 2012 2020
Chart 21 Change in mobile market share of revenue by operator 2012 2020
Chart 22 Ratio of prepaid to postpaid subscribers 2012 2020
Chart 23 Mobile base stations in service by technology 2012 2020
Chart 24 Change in the number of A1 Bulgaria's prepaid subscribers 2012 2020
Chart 25 Growth in the number of LTE subscribers 2015 2020
Chart 26 Drop in SMS traffic 2012 2020
Chart 27 Drop in MMS traffic 2012 2020
Chart 28 Growth in the number of active mobile broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
Chart 29 Growth in the number of A1 Bulgaria' mobile broadband subscribers 2012 2021
Chart 30 Change in the number of Vivacom's mobile subscribers 2012 2020
Chart 31 Development of Vivacom's mobile revenue 2012 2019
Chart 32 Vivacom annualised mobile ARPU 2012 2019
Chart 33 A1 Bulgaria prepaid, postpaid, and blended monthly ARPU 2012 2021
Chart 34 Change in the number of A1 Bulgaria's mobile subscriber base 2012 2022
Chart 35 Increase in A1 Bulgaria's Minutes of Use (MoU) 2012 2020
Chart 36 Change in the number of Yettel's mobile subscribers 2012 2021
Chart 37 Development of Yettel's financial data 2017 2021
Chart 38 Yettel's mobile ARPU 2018 2021
Chart 39 Change in the share of fixed-line broadband subscribers by operator 2017 2020
Chart 40 Change in fixed-line broadband market share by access type 2012 2020
Chart 41 Increase in the total internet subscribers (fixed and mobile) and annual change 2013 2020
Chart 42 Growth in the number of fixed broadband subscribers and penetration 2012 2027
Chart 43 Change in the proportion of fixed broadband subscribers by data speed 2012 2020
Chart 44 Growth in total internet (retail and wholesale) revenue 2012 2020
Chart 45 Retail and wholesale internet revenue 2013 2020
Chart 46 Growth in the number of cable broadband subscribers 2012 2020
Chart 47 Decline in the number of DSL subscribers 2012 2020
Chart 48 Growth in the number of Vivacom's fixed broadband subscribers 2012 2020
Chart 49 Growth in the number of A1 Bulgaria's fixed broadband subscribers 2012 2022
Chart 50 Increase in the number of Vivacom's fibre broadband connections and homes passed 2013 2020
Chart 51 Growth in the number of FttP subscribers 2012 2020
Chart 52 Development of Vivacom's financial data 2012 2020
Chart 53 Development of Vivacom's financial data by sector 2012 2019
Chart 54 Change in the number of Vivacom's subscribers by sector 2012 2020
Chart 55 Change in the number of Vivacom's pay TV and IPTV subscribers 2013 2020
Chart 56 Change in A1 Bulgaria's financial data 2012 2022
Chart 57 Growth in the number of A1 Bulgaria's fixed RGUs 2012 2022
Chart 58 Increase in the number of A1 Bulgaria's fixed access lines 2012 2021
Chart 59 Decline in the number of fixed lines in service and teledensity 2012 2027
Chart 60 Increase in international internet bandwidth 2012 2020
Exhibit 1 Map of Telecom Maturity Index global ranking among countries in Europe
Exhibit 2 Generalised Market Characteristics by Market Segment
Exhibit 3 Europe Market Leaders and market developments
Exhibit 4 Europe Market Challengers and market developments
Exhibit 5 Europe Market Emergents and market developments
Exhibit 6 Access, the local loop and unbundling an overview

Bulgaria - Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband - Statistics and Analyses