Most Europeans have access to 5G but few use it
Most Europeans now have access to a 5G and fiber to the home network. 62% of Europeans are reached by 5G but only 7.4% of the subscribers used 5G last year. The number is expected to grow to 18% in 2022, a report from telecom association ETNO in Brussels shows.
Despite investment efforts, Europe continues trailing global peers, with 5G coverage of the population reaching 93.1% in the US and 93.9% in South Korea. This is reflected in the Capital Expenditure per capita, which is €96.3 in Europe, as opposed to €191.9 in the US and €115.4 in South Korea, the report “State of Digital Communications” says.
“Europe recorded its highest investment effort in four years, hitting €52.5bn in Capital Expenditure in 2020. Thanks to this effort, FTTH (fiber-to-the-home) coverage has passed the 50% mark for the first time in 2021, and now reaches 51.6% of European households.”
“Similarly, the share of Europeans reached by 5G has now doubled from 30% in 2020 to 62% in 2021.”
“The relatively slow pace of investment in strategic 5G and fibre networks is reflected by a weaker financial and market position compared to global peers.”
The report, prepared by research firm Analysys Mason, says that European telecoms, by way of regulation and lack a single market, remain highly fragmented: Europe has 38 operating telecom groups with over 500k subscribers, compared to 7 in the US, 4 in Japan and 3 in South Korea.
“In 2020, Mobile Average Revenue per User (ARPU) was €14.4 in Europe, compared to €37.9 in USA and €25 in South Korea. The 2020 average mobile data usage in Europe was 8.52 GB in Europe, compared to 10.62 GB in the US and 12.52 GB in South Korea.”
“The pandemic has dramatically accelerated a series of telecom trends. Video from streaming platforms and OTT video calling – especially for business – is driving surges in traffic.”
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