The Dutch business telecom market generated revenues of EUR 594 million in the first quarter of 2018, down 7.2 percent from a year earlier. Fixed broadband was the only service to show growth, while mobile and fixed telephony and data network services generated less revenue, according to Telecompaper's quarterly report on the business market.
Mobile accounts for the bulk of revenues and was down 8.6 percent in Q1 to EUR 267 million, hurt by regulation and growing price pressure from intense competition. Fixed broadband grew by 4.2 percent year-on-year to EUR 72 million, while fixed telephony was down 12.2 percent to EUR 116 million, and data networks dropped 6.7 percent to EUR 99 million.
KPN, including its second brands Yes Telecom and Telfort Zakelijk, was the market leader with 48.6 percent of total business market revenues. The incumbent's share was unchanged year-on-year, despite a drop in underlying sales of 7.1 percent. VodafoneZiggo came second with a market share of 27.6 percent, down half a percent point from a year earlier after an 8.9 percent fall in Q1 sales.
T-Mobile took an 8.1 percent share of the business market, up 0.7 percent points year-on-year after a 2.1 percent rise in sales. Tele2's share fell over the same period by 0.1 percent to 4.4 percent, and its quarterly revenues dropped over 10 percent as growth in the mobile market could not offset the continued erosion in the fixed telephony base. Together, T-Mobile and Tele2 would have a share of 12.5 percent if their planned merger goes ahead, still well behind the two market leaders.
