Continuous demand for Internet

Demand for Internet and Internet traffic has been increasing, while, on the other hand, the use of the traditional public voice service has been declining, reported the Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries (HAKOM).
 
ZAGREB, 1 December 2014 – The electronic communications market recorded a continuous growth of demand for Internet traffic in the third quarter of this year resulting in the average quarterly traffic per user exceeding for the first time 2GB of traffic, while the total revenue from the service grew by almost 40 percent per year. At the same time, penetration remained the same because the decrease in the number of data SIM cards corresponded to the increase in the number of connections in fixed communications networks. There is another indicator of increased demand for Internet and of reasons for declining numbers of data cards. In the last observed period the number of users using fixed networks to access Internet exceeded 70 percent which means that users have been increasingly using smartphones as a traditional access point.     
 
Revenue and number of users of the public voice service in mobile and fixed communications networks have been decreasing on an annual basis, although, due to their seasonal character, these indicators are still higher compared to the second quarter. It is expected that the number of users and revenue in fixed communications networks will continue to decline because users have been increasingly using only mobile phones for phone calls and they no longer need the traditional telephone connection. Furthermore, the increasing use of “over the top” applications, such as “Skype” and “Viber” has been influencing the revenue of the public voice service.
 
The television broadcasting market has recorded a 9 percent growth at the annual level, and a three percent growth at the quarterly level, and bundles of services, that is several connected services such as voice service, Internet access and television have become the prevalent way for providing electronic communications services in fixed communications networks. The growth of the so-called 2D and 3D packages amounted to 7 percent.
 

ABOUT HAKOM: HAKOM (www.hakom.hr) - Croatian Regulatory Authority for Network Industries – ensures preconditions for a fair market competition, stable growth and environment for innovations in the electronic communications and postal services market. HAKOM protects users’ interests and the possibility of choice among various communications and postal services at affordable prices, defines sustainable competitive conditions for operators and service providers under fair conditions for return on investment, and provides support to economic growth, public services and the quality of life in the Republic of Croatia by using modern technologies. HAKOM’ strategic goals are: to promote regulation of the electronic communications and postal services market, to support growth of investments and innovations in the electronic communications and postal services market, to provide efficient use of limited resources, to accelerate the growth of broadband products and services, to provide affordable offers of communications and postal services, to provide protection and informing of users, to build an efficient and comprehensive information system, to define and implement efficient processes, and to acquire multi-disciplinary competencies in market regulation.