November 2023 has marked a significant milestone in the telecommunications sector in Spain, with a notable increase in the number of mobile phone and fiber optic lines, according to the latest reports published by the CNMC (National Commission for Markets and Competition).
Sustained Increase in Mobile Lines
November closed with a total of 59.5 million mobile phone lines, showing a 3.3% growth compared to the previous year. This increase reflects the growing dependency of society on mobile technology and the constant need for connectivity.
Dominance of Major Operators
Movistar, Vodafone, and Orange continue to lead the market, representing 70.9% of the total mobile lines. This concentration in major operators shows consumer confidence in established brands, but also highlights challenging competition for new entrants in the market. Additionally, all these operators have a multitude of Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) operating mobile telecommunications services with the major operators, some well-known brands in the market like Aire networks, Digi, LCRcom, FiNetwork, among many others.
Mobile Portability: Trending Downward
Mobile portability experienced a slight 5.5% decrease compared to the same month of the previous year, with 520,056 operator changes registered. This behavior could indicate greater customer satisfaction or a lower tendency to change providers.
Winners and Losers in Portability
MASMOVIL Group, Movistar, and Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) recorded positive net balances in portability, while Vodafone and Orange experienced negative balances, which could reflect differences in customer retention and attraction strategies.
Rise of Mobile Broadband
Voice lines with mobile broadband reached 51.6 million, a 3.3% increase from the previous year, indicating that 86.6% of mobile lines in Spain already have internet access.
Fiber Optic Growth
Fiber to the Home (FTTH) continues its expansion with 99,061 new lines in November, totaling 14.8 million. Movistar holds 36% of these lines, highlighting its dominant role in this segment.
Annual Changes: FTTH Advances, DSL Declines
On an annual level, the increase of 1.1 million FTTH lines contrasts with the loss of 0.4 million DSL lines, demonstrating a clear transition to more modern and efficient broadband technologies.
Fixed Line Telephony Also on the Rise
November also saw an increase of 8,047 new fixed lines, reaching a total of 17.9 million. Fixed portability decreased by 22.2% compared to the same month last year.
NEBA Local and Fiber
The NEBA local service added 2,723,013 lines, with 1,097,618 fiber lines, highlighting the ongoing evolution towards more advanced indirect access technologies.
Final Reflection
The telecommunications market in Spain continues to show dynamism and growth, with a clear focus on modernizing infrastructures and improving services. The figures reflect not only technological change but also the changing preferences and behaviors of consumers in an increasingly digitized environment.
Sources: [CNMCData](https://www.cnmc.es/prensa/datos-telecos-noviembre-20240118)