Hungary’s mobile penetration is falling

Published
by
Robert Nemeth
  on  June 17, 2009
  in  Facts, figures & trends and Hungary
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In recent years, mobile penetration has shown steady increase in most countries, but according to the latest publication of the National Communication Authority, Hungarian mobile usage peaked in the fourth quarter of 2008, and is now falling.

In 2008, the total number of Hungarian mobile subscribers increased by 1,194,000, the largest gain since 2003. By December 2008, the local market hit a peak of 121.8 subscriptions for every hundred people. However, these numbers have been steadily declining in 2009. By the end of May 2009, mobile penetration sank to 118.9.

mobile_hu_may_20091

Traditionally, mobile market growth varies throughout the year, with the biggest increase during the Christmas period. The steady decline in 2009 is without precedence. What is the situation in your country?

  • In November 2009 the decline continued again down to a penetration rate of 116.7.
    The increase is unbroken in Austria, by the end of 2Q2009 they reached a penetration rate of 133 % and no signs of "saturation" have been observed to date.
  • In August 2009 the decline continued again down to a penetration rate of 118.1.

    At last RTR Telekom Monitor published it's 3/2009 report covering data of Austria until March 2009.
    http://www.rtr.at/en/komp/alleBerichte/TM3-2009...
    The increase is unbroken by the end of 1Q2009 Austria reached a penetration rate of 132 %.
  • The latest news from Hungary: the decline has stopped, the penetration rate has not changed in the last month. If you are interested pls. check http://www.nhh.hu/?id=hir&cid=8453 (only in Hungarian)
  • The decline continued in June 2009 and the penetration sank to 118.6.
    In the first half of this year 350.000 mobile subscription disappeared from the Hungarian market.
  • Robert Nemeth
    You are right Bernhard, most of us don't like to walk around with 2 or 3 phones. Above 100% penetration a long-term increase in the number of active SIM-s may arise from non-voice applications. Eg. Mobile Internet cards, vehicle tracking, security etc.
  • I found the Czech data for 2008 saying the total growth was about 500k mobile phone numbers - 13,57 million (Czech population is 10 mil.) of active SIM cards in total.
  • The penetration is still over 100% and the decline ist just 3%. I would say: no reason to be worried. I don´t think, that every hungarian will have 2 or 3 mobile phones in the future. (in Austria as well). I think, the market is saturated (almost all over Europe)
  • Commission report says that "Europe’s telecoms sector weathering economic downturn". It was also true in Hungary until December 2008, when the report was created, but surprisingly the trend has changed in the first 5 month of this year.
    I really wonder about an up-to-date situation in other countries.
  • here is a link to the EC report (March 2009) on Europe’s telecom sector including country factsheets.
    Title:
    “Mobile use up, consumer prices down: Europe’s telecoms sector weathering economic downturn, says Commission report”

    http://ec.europa.eu/information_society/newsroo...
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