The report "Belgium Mobile Operators 2005-H1" analyses developments in the Belgian market for mobile communication and is based on Telecompaper's continuous research program into the development of the Belgian communication services market. This report analyses the first half year of 2005 in relation to the market's performance in 2004. The focus is on mobile network operators including Belgacom, Mobistar and Base and their activities in the Belgian mobile market. The main findings are:
- Mobile services revenue in the Belgian market grew 9.4% in 2004 to EUR 3.8 billion and in the first six months of 2005, mobile services revenue amount to EUR 1.98 billion, up 6.1% from EUR 1.87 billion in the same period last year. These figures for the Belgian market suggest that revenue will grow to an estimated EUR 4.0 billion in 2005.
- The mobile customer base continues to grow and increases 2.1% to 8.67 million customers at the end of June 2005, up from 8.50 million customers at the end of 2004. Growth is driven by the increase of post pay customers growing 6.1% from the end of 2004 to 3.24 million at the end of June 2005. Prepay customer base contracts slightly during the first six months of 2005.
- Blended ARPU in the first half of 2005 grows to EUR 38.5, from EUR 38.2 in the second half of 2004, and Postpay ARPU is down to EUR 71.3. Prepay ARPU is up to EUR 19.6 from EUR 19.2 in the second half of 2004
- Base takes the vast majority of net connections during the first six months this year, beating Mobistar and Belgacom, and repeating its strong performance of 2004. Base's market share reaches 18.3% of the total mobile customer base at the end of June 2005.
- Mobistar and Base continue to carve out Belgacom's leading position in th=e post pay segment, growing their combined postpay market share to almost 47%. Belgacom stabilized its market share in the prepay market in the first half of 2005.
- Outlook 2006 and 2007: We expect revenue growth in the Belgian market to slowdown to between 3 and 4% in 2006 and to between 2 and 3% in 2007.
