Executive summary
Liberalisation driving Fibre Broadband growth in MacauMacau boasts a sophisticated, independently regulated communications market due to Macau’s status as a Special Administrative Region (SAR) of the People’s Republic of China following its handover from Portugal. Gradual liberalisation has now fully opened the telecoms market with the full impact slowly becoming evident. Demand for telecom services is significantly driven by the millions of visitors that visit the tiny enclave every year. 87% of visitors classified as residents of mainland China or Hong Kong.
Macau’s fixed-line market is transitioning to a fibre broadband market as the incumbent Compahnia de Telecomunicações de Macau (CTM) invests significantly in fibre access networks. As of 2016 CTM had deployed fibre broadband coverage to the majority of residential units and 100% of commercial buildings. CTM’s investment coincides with the entrance of Macau’s second fixed-line operator MTEL, with the latter a threat to the monopoly CTM has over the fixed broadband market, a monopoly made possible due to CTM’s ownership of the underlying fixed access network.
CTM’s aggressive tactics are showing results as the majority of households are expected to be connected via fibre by 2017, closing the window of opportunity for MTEL to poach subscribers from CTM’s sizeable DSL subscriber base. CTM faces another potential competitor in Macau Cable TV operator which is obliged to expand the reach of its underground cable network sixfold by 2017.
Macau’s mobile market is the most competitive sector of the telecoms market, with four mobile network operators and a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) offering services. Competition is intense, with mobile penetration in excess of 200% due to multiple SIM card ownership as well as sales of SIM cards to visitors. Mobile broadband presents an alternative revenue growth opportunity, with LTE launches during 2015 allowing operators to offer more enticing products. In December 2015 CK 3 Macau launched its 4G LTE mobile network, making it the fourth and final LTE licensee to introduce commercial 4G services in the Special Administrative Region (SAR).
Key Developments:
Fibre is cannibalising Macau’s largely ADSL-based broadband subscriber based
Market liberalisation and network coverage targets on new entrants is driving fibre investment
Macau’s TV market is now officially open to competition
China Telecom Macau launched its commercial 4G LTE network.
By the end of 2015 SmarTone had launched 4G LTE services following its official award of 1800MHz/2600MHz frequencies.
SmarTone has also launched 4G LTE servicesCompanies mentioned in this report:
Compahnia de Telecomunicações de Macau (CTM), MTel, Macau Cable TV, Macau Basic Television Channels Limited, MOOV, KKBox, Soliton, SmarTone, 3 Macau, China Telecom.
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1. Executive summary
2. Key statistics
3. Country overview
3.1 Background
3.2 Macau’s economy
4. Telecommunications market
4.1 Market Overview and Analysis
5. Regulatory environment
5.1 Historical overview
5.2 Regulatory authority
5.3 Liberalisation and regulatory developments
5.4 Licensing
6. Telecommunications infrastructure
6.1 Overview of the national telecom network
6.2 International infrastructure
6.3 Specific IT developments
6.3.1 Cloud Computing
7. Fixed-line broadband market
7.1 Market Overview and analysis
7.2 Broadband statistics
7.3 Forecasts – broadband subscribers – 2016; 2018; 2021
7.4 Fixed-line broadband technologies
7.4.1 Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) networks
7.4.2 Fibre-to-the-Premises (FttP) and Fibre-To-The-Home (FttH)
7.4.3 Other fixed broadband services
8. Mobile market
8.1 Market Overview and Analysis
8.2 Mobile statistics
8.3 Forecasts – mobile subscribers – 2016; 2018; 2021
8.4 Mobile Regulatory issues
8.4.1 CDMA licences awarded
8.4.2 GSM shutdown
8.4.3 3G licences
8.4.4 LTE licensing
9. Mobile infrastructure
9.1 analogue networks
9.2 Digital networks
9.2.1 GSM
9.2.2 WCDMA
9.2.3 4G LTE
9.2.4 Push-to-Talk (PTT)
10. Major operators
10.1 Compahnia de Telecomunicações de Macau (CTM)
10.1.1 Overview
10.1.2 Background
10.1.3 Mobile
10.1.4 Operational statistics
10.2 MTel
10.3 3 Macau (Hutchison Telecom Macau)
10.4 SmarTone Mobile Communications (Macau) Ltd
10.5 China Telecom
11. Mobile content and applications
11.1 Introduction
11.2 m-banking (payments/loans)
12. Digital economy
12.1 Introduction
12.2 e-Commerce
12.3 e-Government
12.3.1 E-Macao
13. Digital Media
13.1 MCTV (Macau Cable TV) conflict
13.2 Macau Basic Television Channels Limited
13.3 Satellite TV
13.4 Music
14. Related reports
Table 1 – Country statistics Macau – 2016
Table 2 – Telephone network statistics – 2015
Table 3 – Internet user statistics – 2015
Table 4 – Broadband statistics – 2015
Table 5 – Mobile statistics – 2015
Table 6 – National telecommunications authorities
Table 7 – GDP real growth rate – 2008 – 2016
Table 8 – Visitor arrivals in Macau – 2005 - 2015
Table 9 – Number of licensed operators by service – 2016
Table 10 – Fixed-lines and teledensity – 1985 - 2016
Table 11 – Fixed-line subscribers – residential v. business – 2010 - 2015
Table 12 – Internet users and penetration rate – 1994 - 2016
Table 13 – Fixed internet subscribers – 1996 - 2016
Table 14 – Broadband subscribers – 2001 – 2016
Table 15 – Mobile Internet users – 2012 – 2016
Table 16 – Scenario 1 – Fibre broadband subscriber growth
Table 17 – Scenario 2 –Fibre broadband subscriber growth
Table 18 – WiFi Hotspots – 2008 – 2016
Table 19 – Mobile subscribers total and prepaid and penetration rate – 1990 – 2016
Table 20 – Local SMS statistics: Christmas, Lunar and New Years holidays – 2008 – 2015
Table 21 – Local Mobile Data Usage (MB) – Special Dates – 2013 - 2015
Table 22 – Forecast mobile subscribers and penetration rates – 2016; 2018; 2021
Table 23 – CTM mobile, fixed-line and broadband subscribers and ARPU: 2007 - 2015
Table 24 – SmarTone Macau financial data – 2007 - 2015
Table 25 – Online activities by individuals – 2015
Table 26 – Historical - Broadcasting statistical overview – 2013
Chart 1: Fixed and mobile subscribers: 2005 - 2016
Chart 2: Mobile subscribers and Annual Penetration - 2005 - 2016
Exhibit 1 – Map of Macau
