2. Fixed Call Services

Development of fixed call services

 

The number of fixed telephony subscriptions per capita as well as the number of fixed call minutes was decreasing in all countries, and there is no sign to indicate any change in the future. Though the share of mobile minutes of all originated minutes varied between 80 and 97 percent in 2018, the relative amount of fixed call minutes is steadily decreasing in all countries.

There are major differences between the countries in the number of IP telephony (managed VoIP) subscriptions per capita and the numbers are developing differently to some degree as well. The Danish figures include both managed and unmanaged VoIP.

In Sweden, Denmark and Iceland there were above 0,1 IP telephony subscriptions per capita. However, Iceland was the only country where subscriptions continued to grow. In Estonia, Finland, Lithuania and Norway, the number of VoIP subscriptions per capita was 0,04 or lower.

The Latvian and Icelandic incumbents plan to gradually switch their entire fixed networks over to IP technology and eventually shut down the PSTN networks. IP telephony is often bundled with other services such as fixed broadband and TV. In those cases the IP telephony part of the bundle may be inactive.