New Market Research Report: Ukraine Telecommunications Report Q4 2013

From: Fast Market Research, Inc.
Published: Fri Nov 15 2013


The sale of incumbent Ukrtelecom was approved by Ukraine's competition and regulatory authorities in September 2013. The new owner, SCM, already owns one of the largest alternative fixed-line and broadband operators as well as a large stake in the country's third largest operator. Although SCM's plans for Ukrtelecom remain shrouded in mystery, SCM's track record in delivering affordable and reliable services bode well for a much-needed turnaround in Ukrtelecom's fortunes. The divestiture of the mobile unit, TriMob, seems likely to be restarted and there is no shortage of interest in the business, which holds Ukraine's only 3G W-CDMA licence. Sadly, no progress is reported in clearing additional spectrum for other 3G operators, dampening BMI's outlook for mobile broadband growth. New figures from the regulator concerning the size of the fixed broadband market suggest it is not as well developed as previously reported. Nevertheless, despite the somewhat opaque business and regulatory systems, Ukraine continues to offer tantalising prospects for the braver investors.

Full Report Details at
- http://www.fastmr.com/prod/712835_ukraine_telecommunications_report_q4_2013.aspx?afid=301

Key Data

* The uptake of broadband services is low, with penetration estimated to have reached just 14.8% at the end of 2012.
* Particularly significant is the lack of 3G service development, with 3G subscriptions accounting for just 2.3% of the mobile market at the end of 2012, by far the lowest in the region.
* Ukraine's mobile market is expected to expand by 5.5% in 2013, down from the strong 9.2% in 2012, due to market saturation and the possibility of inactive subscription deduction.

Key Developments

Reportedly, the sale of TriMob is still planned and existing players VimpelCom, MTS and Astelit are all said to be interested in bidding, as is Turk Telekom (part-owner of Astelit along with SCM, Ukrtelecom's new owner). With Astelit noting that 1.8mn smartphones were connected to its EDGE-enhanced 2G network as of June 2011 and MTS Ukraine claiming a 3.1mn smartphone base at that time, it is clear that there is a growing audience with an appetite for data services. That audience would appreciate being able to access full 3G services rather than through the stop-gap measures employed by MTS, Astelit and VimpelCom. And with the government unwilling or unable to free up more frequencies, BMI suspects the sale of TriMob will be fiercely contested, making it difficult for SCM to merely transfer the 3G business to Astelit. However, we would not be surprised if the pro-Ukrainian authorities were to allow that to happen rather than cede control to Russian companies.

About Fast Market Research

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For more information about these or related research reports, please visit our website at http://www.fastmr.com or call us at 1.800.844.8156.

You may also be interested in these related reports:

- Hong Kong Telecommunications Report Q4 2013
- Australia Telecommunications Report Q4 2013
- Chile Telecommunications Report Q4 2013
- Central America Telecommunications Report Q4 2013
- China Telecommunications Report Q4 2013

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Contact Name: Bill Thompson
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