10.12.2019

Two thirds of the users surf the mobile Internet without limitations, and this shows in the steady upward trend of traffic growth. "The users’ appetite for both fixed and mobile Internet kept growing in the first half of this year. On average, a Romanian consumed 3.4 GB per month via mobile internet and 27 GB via fixed internet. Moreover, almost half of the users go online both through fixed and through mobile connections, ”said Eduard Lovin, ANCOM vice-president, during the 16^th edition of the Mobile Communic@tions Gala. An infographic on fixed and mobile internet is available here.

Mobile internet

The data processed by ANCOM reveal that the number of connections to mobile internet reached 19.6 million (-1%), at mid-2019. The number of 4G connections kept growing in the first half of 2019, to 11 million (+6%), i.e. more than 55% of the total number of mobile internet connections. Including 3G connections (29% of the total number), the share of high-speed (3G and 4G) connections reached 84% of all the connections.

The average monthly mobile internet traffic increased by 16% in the first six months of 2019, reaching 3.4 GB per inhabitant. An infographic is available here.

By number of active mobile internet connections, at mid-2019, Orange held a share of 39% of the market, Vodafone 24%, Telekom Group 19%, and the rest of the providers 18%. 

Fixed internet

According to ANCOM’s statistics, the number of fixed internet connections in Romania remained almost unchanged – i.e. 5.1 million at mid-2019, with a slight growth of 1%, of which 3.5 million in urban areas (+0.2%) and 1.6 million in rural areas (+2%).

The penetration rate of fixed internet per 100 households was 62% on a national level, respectively 74% in urban areas and 47% in rural areas.

71% (3.7 million) of all the fixed internet connections ensure very high speeds (at least 100Mbps). Furthermore, over 62% of the fixed internet connections are achieved by fibre optic at least to the building, i.e. by FTTH or FTTB.

In the first half of 2019, the average monthly fixed internet traffic was 27 GB per inhabitant, increasing by 4%. An infographic is available here.

By number of fixed internet connections, RCS&RDS held 52% of the market, Telekom Group 22%, UPC 12%, the other providers totalling 14%.

Statistical data report

ANCOM prepared the Statistical data report on the Romanian electronic communications market in the first half of 2019 based on the statistical data reported by the providers under the obligation to send the Authority the values of the indicators corresponding to the categories of services pursuant to Decision no. 333/2013 and will be available soon on www.ancom.ro.

Market survey on the electronic communications users’ attitude

A survey conducted by ANCOM during June - August 2019 regarding the attitude of electronic communications residential users revealed that 45% of them use both the fixed and the mobile internet, while 21% do not use the internet.

Concerning the degree of satisfaction with the fixed or mobile internet services used, more than 90% of the users are content, in general.

The survey is available, in Romanian, here.