HAKOM: Lower roaming prices motivate users to make more calls

ZAGREB, 2 December 2013 – In Q3 2013, total outgoing traffic in mobile communications networks increased by about 30 per cent, when compared with the same period of the previous year, or up by 15 per cent, when compared with the previous quarter. A significant seasonal effect, characteristic for the mobile telephony market, is observed in the summer months, in particular in July and August, thanks to the tourists in roaming and domestic users, also realizing higher traffic. On the other hand, with the EU accession Croatia started to apply the roaming regulation aligned with the EU regulations. The fall of prices due to the new regulation has had impact on the fall of operators’ revenues, with a simultaneous significant growth of traffic of own users in roaming, i.e. by over 100 per cent, when compared with the same period of the previous year.
 
The effect of seasonal changes has also reflected on the number of broadband connections via mobile communications networks. The use of SIM cards increased by about 12 per cent over the previous period, and in comparing the data from September 2012, when about 55 per cent of the population accessed the Internet via mobile communications networks (SIM cards and mobile devices), it can be observed that in Q3 2013 this share rose to over 66 per cent. Changes are also noticeable in the density of broadband connections by county. Primorsko-goranska County reached the number of connections of Zagreb County and the City of Zagreb with its share of over 26 per cent.
 
At the end of Q3 2013, the number of users of package services (integrated voice, data and TV service) accounted for almost two thirds of the total number of broadband connections. The number of users using the service of TV channels’ transfer with the payment of a fee is also growing in accordance with this trend.
 

 

HAKOM (www.hakom.hr) – Croatian Post and Electronic Communications Agency – ensures preconditions for a fair market competition, stable growth and environment for innovations in the electronic communications and postal services market. HAKOM protects users’ interests and the possibility of choice among various communications and postal services at affordable prices, defines sustainable competitive conditions for operators and service providers under fair conditions for return on investment, and provides support to economic growth, public services and the quality of life in the Republic of Croatia by using modern technologies. HAKOM’ strategic goals are: to promote regulation of the electronic communications and postal services market, to support growth of investments and innovations in the electronic communications and postal services market, to provide efficient use of limited resources, to accelerate the growth of broadband products and services, to provide affordable offers of communications and postal services, to provide protection and informing of users, to build an efficient and comprehensive information system, to define and implement efficient processes, and to acquire multi-disc