Executive summary
OTT services to expand in 2016Ecuador’s fixed-line teledensity is low for the region. To some extent this has resulted from topographical challenges which have rendered the cost of deploying fixed-line infrastructure in remote and mountainous areas prohibitive. However, there has also been a legacy of underinvestment in telecoms infrastructure as a whole.
In line with the global trend, Ecuadorians have turned to mobile handsets in preference to the traditional fixed-line phone. The country’s telecom market is heavily skewed towards mobility, with seven mobile phones for every fixed line in service. Nevertheless, the ratio between fixed and mobile accounts has remained stable since 2009.
Although Ecuador has seven fixed-line operators and a large number of Internet Service Providers (ISPs), state-owned incumbent CNT dominates the fixed-line and therefore the ADSL market.
The mobile sector is virtually a duopoly between América Móvil’s Conecel (trading as Claro) and Telefónica’s Otecel (trading as Movistar), with CNT (previously Telecsa/Alegro) having a small share of the market.
The government is keen to advance universalisation and improve teledensity, and we can expect CNT to continue its efforts to expand the country’s fixed-line infrastructure. CNT will also continue to capitalise on its ADSL service, which only took off in 2009 and still faces significant unsatisfied demand. A national broadband plan aims to expand and improve internet access for all Ecuadoreans. The fixed broadband market – including both ADSL and cable modem services – should continue to grow by at least 25% annually. The mobile broadband market is also expected to grow strongly in the coming years.
A new Telecom Law has been the subject of national and international controversy, particularly for its treatment of broadcasting. The most controversial points include the redistribution of spectrum and the creation of a regulatory authority in charge of censorship.
Key developments:
Telefónica planning OTT service in 2016; launches Tuenti Movil sub-brand; Arcotel assumes role as integrated telecom sector regulator; CNT expands reach of 1Gb/s fibre network; Movistar and Claro develop reach of LTE services following launch in 2015; government promotes its National Plan for Good Living 2013-2017 for socio-economic development; first phase of ASO scheduled for December 2016, with complete transition to digital TV expected in late 2018; AWS spectrum deployed for LTE; Univisa launches satellite pay-TV service, starts closing down MMDS service; report update includes the regulator’s market data into November 2015; telcos’ operating data, recent market developments.
Market penetration rates in Ecuador’s telecoms sector – 2016 (e)
MarketPenetration rate
Mobile88.6%
Fixed15.6%
Broadband9.3%
(Source: BuddeComm based on industry data)
Companies mentioned in this report:
CNT, Etapa, TVCable (Suratel), Claro (Ecuador Telecom/Telmex), Linkotel, Etapa Telecom, Global Crossing, Grupo Coripar, Starsat, Movistar, PuntoNet, Ecuanet/Megadatos. Easynet, Trans-telco, Empresa Eléctrica Regional Centrosur, Transelectric, Telconet, DirecTV, TVCable, Univisa.
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1. Executive summary
2. Key statistics
3. Country overview
4. Telecommunications market
4.1 Recent developments
4.2 Historical overview
4.3 Market analysis
4.4 National Plan for Good Living 2013-2017
5. Regulatory environment
5.1 Historical overview
5.2 Regulatory authority
5.3 Interconnect
5.4 Anti-Monopoly Law of 2011
5.5 Telecommunications Law - 2013
5.6 Telecommunications Law – 2015
6. Fixed network operators
6.1 Introduction
6.2 CNT
6.3 Etapa
7. Telecommunications infrastructure
7.1 Overview of the national telecom network
7.1.1 Fixed-line statistics
7.2 International infrastructure
8. Wholesale
9. Smart infrastructure
9.1 Smart grids
10. Fixed broadband
10.1 Introduction and statistical overview
10.2 National Broadband Plan
10.3 Government support
10.4 Market analysis
10.5 Broadband statistics
10.6 Forecasts – fixed broadband subscribers – 2015; 2017; 2020
10.6.1 Notes on scenario forecasts
10.7 Hybrid Fibre Coax (HFC) networks
10.8 Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
10.9 Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) networks
10.10 Other fixed broadband services
10.10.1 Broadband Powerline (BPL)
11. Digital media
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Key digital media players
11.2.1 DirecTV
11.2.2 TVCable
11.2.3 CNT TV
11.2.4 Movistar
11.2.5 Claro Ecuador (Conacel, Ecuador Telecom)
11.2.6 Univisa
11.3 Digital Terrestrial TV (DTTV)
11.4 Communications
11.4.1 Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP)
12. Mobile communications
12.1 Market analysis
12.2 Mobile statistics
12.2.1 General statistics
12.2.2 Mobile broadband
12.3 Forecasts
12.4 Regulatory issues
12.4.1 Mobile licence renewals
12.4.2 SIM card registration
12.4.3 Infrastructure sharing
12.4.4 Mobile Number Portability (MNP)
12.4.5 Quality of Service (QoS) measures
12.4.6 LTE licenses – 2015
12.5 Mobile infrastructure
12.5.1 Digital networks
12.5.2 3G
12.5.3 LTE
12.6 Major mobile operators
12.6.1 Claro (Conecel)
12.6.2 Movistar (Otecel)
12.6.3 CNT
12.7 Mobile Virtual Network operators (MVNOs)
12.8 Mobile content and applications
12.8.1 M-banking
12.8.2 Satellite mobile services
13. Related reports
Table 1 – Country statistics Ecuador – 2015 (e)
Table 2 – Telephone network statistics – 2016 (e)
Table 3 – Internet user statistics – 2016 (e)
Table 4 – Fixed broadband statistics – 2016 (e)
Table 5 – Mobile statistics – 2016 (e)
Table 6 – National telecommunications authorities
Table 7 – Evolution of GDP in Ecuador – 2000 - 2015
Table 8 – Historic - Fixed and mobile market share - 1997 - 2004
Table 9 – Fixed and mobile market share - 2005 - 2015
Table 10 – Fixed lines in service – operators’ market share – 2001 - 2015
Table 11 – CNT – lines in service – 2001 - 2015
Table 12 – Etapa – lines in service – 2001 - 2015
Table 13 – Historic - Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 1997 - 2004
Table 14 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2005 - 2016
Table 15 – International bandwidth – 2006 - 2014
Table 16 – Registered cybercafés – 2008- 2015
Table 17 – Registered ISPs – 2002 - 2015
Table 18 – Historic - Internet users and penetration – 1998 - 2004
Table 19 – Internet users and penetration – 20051 - 2016
Table 20 – Internet subscribers and penetration – 2001 - 2015
Table 21 – Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration rates - 2001 - 2016
Table 22 – Fixed broadband market share of subscribers – major operators - 2008 - 2015
Table 23 – Forecast broadband subscribers – 2015; 2017; 2020
Table 24 – TVCable – cable modem subscribers – 2008 - 2013
Table 25 – Claro – cable modem subscribers – 2008 - 2013
Table 26 – DSL subscribers – 2008 - 2015
Table 27 – FttP subscribers – 2008 - 2015
Table 28 – Pay TV subscribers and penetration – 2004 - 2015
Table 29 – TV technology market share – 2004 - 2015
Table 30 – Historic - Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 1997 - 2004
Table 31 – Mobile subscribers and penetration rate – 2005 - 2016
Table 32 – Mobile prepaid/postpaid ratio – 2002 - 2015
Table 33 – Mobile prepaid and postpaid subscribers – 2008 - 2015
Table 34 – Mobile broadband subscribers – 2009 - 2016
Table 35 – Forecast mobile subscribers – 2015; 2017; 2020
Table 36 – Base stations by operator - 2013 - 2015
Table 37 – Annual mobile numbers ported - 2009 - 2015
Table 38 – Proportion of mobile subscribers by technology – 2001 - 2015
Table 39 – GSM subscribers – 2003 - 2015
Table 40 – 3G subscribers – 2008 - 2015
Table 41 – HSPA+ subscribers – 2012 - 2015
Table 42 – LTE subscribers – 2014 - 2015
Table 43 – Historic - Mobile operators’ market share – 1997 - 2004
Table 44 – Mobile operators’ market share – 2005 - 2015
Table 45 – Historic - Claro – mobile subscribers – 1997 - 2004
Table 46 – Claro – mobile subscribers – 2005 - 2015
Table 47 – Historic - Movistar – mobile subscribers – 1997 - 2004
Table 48 – Movistar – mobile subscribers – 2005 - 2015
Table 49 – Movistar mobile financial data – 2012 - 2013
Table 50 – CNT – mobile subscribers – 2003 - 2015
Chart 1 – Fixed lines in service and teledensity – 2005 – 2016
Chart 2 – Internet users and user penetration rate – 2001 – 2016
Chart 3 – Fixed broadband subscribers and penetration rates - 2001 – 2016
Chart 4 – Mobile market evolution at a glance – 2005 - 2016
Exhibit 1 – Map of Ecuador
