At the end of 1st quarter of 2021, the number of fixed broadband accesses in Portugal increased by 4.8% to 4.2 million accesses. Optical fibre (FTTH) was the main form of fixed broadband Internet access, accounting for 56.4% of total accesses (an increase of 4.7 percentage points from 1st quarter 2020). Optical fibre technology was also the largest contributor to the growth reported in the number of accesses.
The number of accesses supported over cable television networks increased by 0.2% and represented 28.6% of the total, declining 1.3 percentage points from 1st quarter 2020. ADSL accesses, which represented 8.1% of total accesses, continued in a downward trend, declining by 25.5% (as these accesses are replaced by next generation accesses). Fixed accesses supported over mobile networks increased by 3.6% and accounted for 6.8% of total accesses.
Total fixed broadband Internet traffic increased by 69.6% compared to the same quarter of 2020. Average monthly traffic per access was reported at 260 GB (an increase of 61.8% versus 1st quarter 2020), representing a new historical maximum. Average monthly traffic was around 100 GB higher than in 1st quarter 2020, the period in which the first pandemic restrictions were put in place.
It is estimated that the COVID-19 situation resulted in an increase of 54% in average traffic per access in the 1st quarter. Without the pandemic, it is estimated that average fixed data traffic would have grown 22% in the period being reported instead of the actual growth of 61.8%.
In terms of market shares, MEO has 40.6% of subscribers; followed by Grupo NOS with 34.8%; Vodafone, with 20.9%; and NOWO with 3.4%. Compared to the same quarter of the previous year, Vodafone was the provider reporting the largest increase in its share of accesses (+0.7 percentage points), while MEO was the provider that acquired the most customers in net terms (+0.3 percentage points). NOS and NOWO saw declines in their shares of customers: 0.7 percentage points and 0.2 percentage points, respectively.
If only residential accesses are considered, MEO continues to report the highest share of subscribers (39.0%), followed by Grupo NOS (37.0%), Vodafone (19.9%), and NOWO (3.8%). Vodafone and MEO increased their share of subscribers by 0.8 percentage points and 0.2 percentage points, respectively, while declines were reported for Grupo NOS and NOWO: 0.7 percentage points and 0.2 percentage points, respectively.
In terms of fixed broadband traffic, MEO reported a share of 38.7%, followed by Grupo NOS (34.3%) and Vodafone (23.4%). NOWO's share was 2%. Compared to the same quarter of 2020, Grupo NOS was the provider whose share of traffic increased the most (+0.5 percentage points), followed by NOWO (+0.3 percentage points). MEO's share decreased by 0.2 percentage points and Vodafone's share remained unchanged.
Consult the statistical report:
- Internet access service at a fixed location - 1st quarter 2021 https://www.anacom.pt/render.jsp?contentId=1671938
