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Asian - Fixed Voice Market

Paul Budde Communication Pty Ltd
January 18, 2010
295 Pages - SKU: PBC2573682

Abstract Table of Contents Search inside this report Related Reports

Countries covered: Asia

This market report looks at the fixed-line market in Asia and provides an overview of some of the main players in that segment of the market within the various economies of Asia.

Additional Information

While growth in the fixed-line market has flattened out and in some markets the numbers are declining, activity in this market continues to be overshadowed by frenzied activity in the booming mobile market. Nevertheless fixed infrastructure remains an important component in the overall development of the telecom sector.

As Asia entered 2009 it had close to 2.3 billion telephone services; of these services 575 million were fixed and almost 1.7 billion were mobile services. By end-2009 it was expected that total telephone services would be around 2.7 billion; but the total fixed numbers will contract again and be around 560 million by year end.

The standout market in terms of fixed-line subscribers has been China. Despite declining from 365 million subscribers by end 2007 to an estimated 325 million by end 2009, the country still represents almost 60% of the total regional subscriber base. As shown in the Table below, China is well ahead of the rest of the market in this respect. It is interesting to note that a number of the highly sophisticated telecom markets in Asia are also highly penetrated fixed-line markets; leaders in this regard are Taiwan (62% teledensity), Hong Kong (59%) and South Korea (44%). These are followed by Singapore (40%) and Japan (38%). As Singapore had only around 1.8 million fixed-line subscribers in 2009 it did not qualify to be included in the Table below. Nevertheless it remained a significant fixed-line market with its 40% penetration.

Of the 35 or so countries in Asia, the top 10 that are listed in the Table below claimed about 90% of the region’s fixed-line services by 2009.

As with other segments of the telecom market in Asia, we note the ever-present gap between the developed and developing economies of the region. In the developing economies, the building of essential fixed-line infrastructure has been largely ignored in favour of rolling out mobile networks as a quick way of providing telephone services to the population. In developing countries where governments have tried to force the pace of fixed-line roll-outs, the success rate has been mixed. In the Philippines and Indonesia these programs have been conspicuously ineffective; however, in a market like Vietnam, significant progress has been made, lifting that country up to become one of the more highly-penetrated fixed-line markets in the region at 34% teledensity. We have also seen a successful push in Indonesia to expand the fixed network; subscriber growth of 70% occurred in 2008 and was continuing in 2009 on the back of widespread deployment of WLL technology.

The other characteristic of the fixed line markets in Asia as we have already noted is that growth has flattened out and in some markets gone into serious decline. The estimated subscriber base for Asia’s top 10 markets at the end of 2009; many of the listed markets are clearly revealing a downward trend as seen in the Table. The two exceptions in this group of countries are Indonesia and Vietnam.

Asia - Top 10 fixed-line markets (ranked by subscribers) - 2007 - 2008
Country 2007 2008 Penetration Year on year growth
Subscribers (million)
China 365.6 340.8 25% -7%
Japan 52.3 48.4 38% -7%
India 39.4 37.9 3% -4%
Vietnam 28.5 29.6 34% 4%
South Korea 22.1 21.3 44% -4%
Indonesia 17.8 30.4 13% 71%
Taiwan 14.3 14.3 62% 0%
Pakistan 4.9 4.4 3% -10%
Malaysia 4.4 4.3 16% -2%
Philippines1 3.9 4.1 5% 5%
Hong Kong1 4.1 4.1 59% 0%
Total 557.3 539.6 -3%

(Source: BuddeComm based on ITU and industry data)
Note: 1Hong Kong and the Philippines equal 10th in 2008.

Asia - Top 10 fixed-line markets (ranked by subscribers) - 2009
Country Subscribers1 (million) Penetration
China 325.0 25%
Japan 42.0 33%
India 37.0 3%
Vietnam 30.0 34%
Indonesia 35.0 15%
South Korea 22.0 45%
Taiwan 13.0 57%
Pakistan 4.4 2.5%
Malaysia 4.3 15%
Hong Kong 3.7 53%
(Source: BuddeComm based on ITU and industry data)
Note: 1Estimates.

Apart from the voice services supported by the fixed-line infrastructure in the markets of Asia, the bonus of a healthy and extensive fixed network has been its ability to support DSL-based broadband access. This has seen DSL become the most popular platform for broadband access in Asia. This aspect of the market is addressed more extensively our other BuddeComm publication: Asian Broadband Market.

Data in this report is the latest available at the time of preparation and may not be for the current year.

1. Afghanistan: 1.1 Fixed network operators in Afghanistan
2. Armenia: 2.1 Fixed network operators in Armenia
3. Azerbaijan: 3.1 Fixed network operators in Azerbaijan
4. Bangladesh: 4.1 Fixed Network Market
5. Bhutan: 5.1 Fixed network operator in Bhutan
6. Brunei Darussalam: 6.1 Fixed network operators in Brunei Darussalam
7. Cambodia: 7.1 Fixed network in Cambodia
8. China: 8.1 Overview of China’s telecom market restructure in 2008; 8.2 Fixed-lines and mobiles; 8.3 Major Telecom Operators
9. Georgia: 9.1 Fixed network operators in Georgia
10. Hong Kong: 10.1 Overview of Hong Kong’s telecom market; 10.2 Fixed Telecommunications Network Services (FTNS); 10.3 International telecommunications services; 10.4 Major Operators
11. India: 11.1 Overview of the Telecommunications market; 11.2 Analysis: India and the global financial crisis - February 2009; 11.3 Foreign investment; 11.4 Universal service; 11.5 Overview of Fixed Network Operators; 11.6 International operators; 11.7 Other operators
12. Indonesia: 12.1 Fixed Network Major Operators
13. Japan: 13.1 Overview of Japan’s telecom market; 13.2 Fixed-line and mobile phones in Japan; 13.3 Fixed Network Market overview; 13.4 MYLINE Carrier Selection Service (CSS); 13.5 Domestic services; 13.6 Major Operators
14. Kazakhstan: 14.1 Fixed network operators in Kazakhstan
15. Kyrgyzstan: 15.1 Fixed network operators in Kyrgyzstan
16. Laos: 16.1 Fixed network operators in Laos
17. Macau: 17.1 Major telecom operator in macau
18. Malaysia: 18.1 Major Operators in Malaysia
19. Maldives: 19.1 Overview of Maldives’ telecom market; 19.2 National telecom network
20. Mongolia: 20.1 Fixed network operators in Mongolia
21. Myanmar: 21.1 Overview of Myanmar’s telecom market; 21.2 National infrastructure
22. Nepal: 22.1 Major basic telephone service providers in Nepal
23. North Korea: 23.1 Fixed network operators; 23.2 National telecom network
24. Pakistan: 24.1 Fixed Network Operators in Pakistan; 24.2 Fixed Network Voice Services
25. Philippines: 25.1 Fixed-line operator statistics; 25.2 Fixed Network Operators in the Philippines
26. Singapore: 26.1 Fixed Network Operators in Singapore
27. South Korea: 27.1 Overview of fixed-line and mobile services; 27.2 Fixed-line and mobile statistics; 27.3 Telecommunications service markets; 27.4 Major fixed-line network operators
28. Sri Lanka: 28.1 Fixed Network Operators in Sri Lanka
29. Taiwan: 29.1 Fixed Network Market; 29.2 Major Operators
30. Tajikistan: 30.1 Fixed network operator
31. Thailand: 31.1 Fixed network voice services; 31.2 International Networks; 31.3 Fixed network operators in Thailand
32. Timor Leste: 32.1 Fixed network operators in Timor Leste
33. Turkmenistan: 33.1 Overview of the Telecommunications Market in Turkmenistan; 33.2 Fixed-line infrastructure
34. Uzbekistan: 34.1 Fixed network operators in Uzbekistan
35. Vietnam: 35.1 Fixed Network Operators in Vietnam
List of Tables and Exhibites: Table 1 - Telephone network statistics in Afghanistan - 2008; Table 2 - Telephone network statistics in Armenia - 2008; Table 3 - Telephone network statistics in Azerbaijan - 2008; Table 4 - Telephone network statistics in Bangladesh - June 2009; Table 5 - Subscribers by operator in Bangladesh - June 2009; Table 6 - Fixed telephone line targets and teledensity in Bangladesh - 2010; 2025; Table 7 - Telephone network statistics in Bhutan - 2008; Table 8 - Telephone network statistics in Brunei Darussalam - 2008; Table 9 - Telephone network statistics in Cambodia - 2008; Table 10 - Telephone network statistics in China - 2008; Table 11 - Fixed-line and mobile subscriptions and penetration rate in China - 1998 - 2008; Table 12 - China Telecom key operating statistics - 2004 - 2008; Table 13 - China Telecom (China Unicom) CDMA mobile subscribers - 2002 - 2008; Table 14 - China Telecom financial data - 2001 - 2008; Table 15 - China Telecom revenue breakdown - 2007 - 2008; Table 16 - China Telecom wireline revenue breakdown - 2007 - 2008; Table 17 - China Telecom wireline VAS revenue growth and mix - 2007 - 2008; Table 18 - China Telecom CAPEX - 2007 - 2008; Table 19 - China Unicom GSM mobile subscribers - 2002 - 2008; Table 20 - China Unicom key operating metrics - 2007 - 2008; Table 21 - China Unicom financial data - 2001 - 2008; Table 22 - China Unicom CAPEX breakdown - 2007 - 2008; Table 23 - China Netcom subscribers by service - 2003 - 2008; Table 24 - China Netcom ARPU by service - 2003 - 2008; Table 25 - China Netcom revenue percentages - 2003 - 2008; Table 26 - China Netcom financial data - 2003 - 2008; Table 27 - China Netcom traditional and innovative revenue ratios - 2005 - 2008; Table 28 - Telephone network statistics in Georgia - 2008; Table 29 - Telephone network statistics - August 2009; Table 30 - Fixed line versus mobile subscriptions and penetration rates - 1998 - 2020; Table 31 - Hong Kong Telecoms sector Financial Indicators - 1994 - 2008; Table 32 - PCCW revenue and profit - 2001 - 2007; Table 33 - Sunday subscribers and annual change - 1998 - 2007; Table 34 - Sunday net profit/loss - 2000 - 2006; Table 35 - PCCW mobile revenue, EBITDA and net profit - 2005 - 2008; Table 36 - PCCW 2G and 3G subscribers - 2005 - 2009; Table 37 - City Telecom revenue and profit - 2001 - 2009; Table 38 - HTIL revenue and profit - 2002 - 2008; Table 39 - Hutchison total subscribers and annual change - 1998 - 2009; Table 40 - Hutchison Hong Kong 3G mobile subscribers and annual change - 2004 - 2009; Table 41 - HTIL Hong Kong and Macau revenue - 2002 - 2008; Table 42 - HGC Hong Kong revenue - 2005 - 2008; Table 43 - Wharf T&T revenue and profit - 2001 - 2008; Table 44 - Wharf T&T fixed-line, i-Cable Broadband and Pay TV subscribers - 2001 - 2009; Table 45 - CSL New World subscribers and annual change - 1998 - 2006; Table 46 - New World Mobility subscribers and annual change - 1998 - 2005; Table 47 - CSL New World Mobility Group subscribers and annual change - 2006 - 2008; Table 48 - Peoples subscribers and annual change - 1998 - 2008; Table 49 - SmarTone subscribers and annual change - 1998 - 2009; Table 50 - SmarTone-Vodafone 3G subscribers - 2004 - 2008; Table 51 - SmarTone-Vodafone revenue and profit - 2002 - 2009; Table 52 - SmarTone-Vodafone ARPU and data contribution - 2002 - 2009; Table 53 - Telephone network statistics in India - 2008; Table 54 - Fixed-line services versus mobile services and penetration in India - 2008; Table 55 - Foreign Direct Investment in telecom sector in India - 2004 - 2008; Table 56 - Telephone services to villages in India - 2008; Table 57 - Fixed-line subscribers by operator in India - 2007 - 2008; Table 58 - Telephone network statistics in Indonesia - 2008; Table 59 - PT Telkom fixed lines in service - 2006 - 2008; Table 60 - PT Telkom postpaid and prepaid fixed wireless subscribers - 2008; Table 61 - PT Telekom fixed wireless pre- and postpaid ARPU - 2004 - 2008; Table 62 - PT Indosat fixed wireless subscribers - 2006 - 2008; Table 63 - PT Indosat pre- and postpaid fixed wireless subscribers - 2008; Table 64 - Bakrie Telecom subscribers - 2004 - 2008; Table 65 - Bakrie Telecom pre- and postpaid ARPU - 2004 - 2008; Table 66 - Telephone network statistics in Japan - March 2009; Table 67 - Number of competitive telecommunications carriers: 1985; 1989; 1993; 1997; 2001; 2005-2009; Table 68 - Number of telecommunications carriers in Japan - November 2008; Table 69 - Subscribers and penetration: fixed-line versus mobile - 1993 - 2009, 2010 (e), 2015 (e), 2020 (e); Table 70 - Monthly fixed and mobile call volumes (billions of minutes): 2003 and 2008; Table 71 - Monthly fixed and mobile call volumes per head (in minutes): 2003 and 2008; Table 72 - Mobile as a proportion of total telecommunications connections - 2003 and 2008; Table 73 - Market share of fixed line operators in Japan - June 2009; Table 74 - MYLINE subscribers - 2002 - 2009; Table 75 - MYLINE operator market share - 2009; Table 76 - Internet, broadband, IP telephony and telecoms statistics in Japan - 2004 - 2009; Table 77 - NTT major shareholders - March 2009; Table 78 - NTT financial data - 2000 - 2009; Table 79 - NTT proportion of operating revenue by segment - 2001 - 2009; Table 80 - NTT subscribers by service - November 2009; Table 81 - NTT forecast consolidated revenue composition - 2008 - 2013; Table 82 - NTT Com operating revenue and net income - 2001 - 2009; Table 83 - KDDI financial data - 2001 - 2009; Table 84 - KDDI proportion of revenue by segment - 2001 - 2010; Table 85 - KDDI capital expenditure on mobile and fixed-line - 2005 - 2009; Table 86 - ADSL and FttH subscribers - 2005 - 2010; Table 87 - Fixed access lines - 2008 - 2010; Table 88 - Softbank major shareholders - March 2009; Table 89 - Softbank distribution of ownership among shareholders - March 2009; Table 90 - Softbank financial data - 1995 - 2009; Table 91 - Softbank proportion of revenue by segment - 2006 - 2009; Table 92 - Softbank operational data: thousands of subscribers - 2006 - 2009; Table 93 - Softbank ARPU and churn - 2004 - 2009; Table 94 - Softbank market share by service - 2009; Table 95 - Telephone network statistics in Kazakhstan - 2008; Table 96 - Kazakhtelecom urban and rural fixed-line subscribers - June 2009; Table 97 - Telephone network statistics in Kyrgyzstan - 2008; Table 98 - Telephone network statistics in Laos - 2008; Table 99 - Fixed-line operators’ subscribers and market share in Laos - 2008; Table 100 - Telephone network statistics in Macau - December 2008; Table 101 - Telephone network statistics in Malaysia - 2008; Table 102 - Telephone network statistics in the Maldives - March 2009; Table 103 - Fixed lines in service and teledensity in the Maldives - 1995 - 2009; Table 104 - Fixed-line subscribers by region in the Maldives - March 2009; Table 105 - Telephone network statistics in Mongolia - 2008; Table 106 - Telephone network statistics in Myanmar - 2008; Table 107 - Fixed lines in service in Myanmar - 1990, 1995 - 2009; Table 108 - Telephone network statistics in Nepal - August 2009; Table 109 - Telephone network statistics in North Korea - 2009; Table 110 - Fixed lines in service and teledensity in North Korea - 1990 - 2005; Table 111 - Telephone network statistics in Pakistan - June 2009; Table 112 - ‘Fixed-Line’ licences issued by PTA in Pakistan - March 2008; Table 113 - Fixed-line subscribers by operator in Pakistan - March 2009; Table 114 - WLL subscribers by operator and market share in Pakistan - July 2009; Table 115 - Growth in Public Call Offices (PCOs) in Pakistan - 1999 - 2007; Table 116 - Telephone network statistics in the Philippines - 2008; Table 117 - Fixed-line operators, lines, subscribers and market share in the Philippines - 2007; Table 118 - PLDT mobile service: postpaid & prepaid ARPU - 2005 - 2008; Table 119 - Telephone network statistics in Singapore - 2008; Table 120 - Telephone network statistics in South Korea - June 2008; Table 121 - KT Corp fixed-line subscribers and market share - 2004 - 2009; Table 122 - Fixed and mobile lines in service and teledensity in South Korea - 1991 - 2008; Table 123 - Fixed-line subscribers and market share by operator in South Korea - September 2008; Table 124 - Number portability of fixed line services in South Korea - 2003 - 2007; Table 125 - Local telephony lines by operator in South Korea - 2005 - 2008; Table 126 - Local telephony market share by operator in South Korea - 2005 - 2008; Table 127 - KT Corp financial data - 2006 - 2008; Table 128 - KT Corp shareholders - 2008; Table 129 - KT Corp broadband subscribers and market share - 2003 - 2009; Table 130 - KT Corp fixed-line subscribers and market share - 2003 - 2009; Table 131 - KT Corp IPTV subscribers - 2007 - 2009; Table 132 - LG Powercom financial data - 2005 - 2008; Table 133 - SK Broadband financial data - 2003 - 2008; Table 134 - SK Broadband shareholders - 2008; Table 135 - SK Broadband subscribers - 2005 - 2008; Table 136 - SK Broadband TV subscribers - 2008; Table 137 - SK Broadband revenue split - 2008; Table 138 - Telephone network statistics in Sri Lanka - June 2009; Table 139 - Fixed-line operators and subscribers in Sri Lanka - 2008; Table 140 - SLT fixed-line subscribers and market share - 1999 - 2009; Table 141 - SLT fixed-line subscribers - Wireline versus WLL - 2005 - 2008; Table 142 - Suntel subscribers - 1999 - 2008; Table 143 - Lanka Bell subscribers - 1999 - 2009; Table 144 - Telephone network statistics in Taiwan - November 2008; Table 145 - Telecom revenue and investment statistics in Taiwan - 2007; Table 146 - Fixed network operators, market share by revenue in Taiwan - 2007; Table 147 - Chunghwa Telecom fixed subscribers and market share - 2004 - 2007; Table 148 - Chunghwa Telecom’s subscriber base by sector - June 2009; Table 149 - Chunghwa Telecom revenue breakdown by sector - 2003; 2007-2008; Table 150 - Chunghwa Telecom revenue, CAPEX, net profit and employees - 2000 - 2008; Table 151 - Chunghwa Telecom fixed line, mobile subscribers and market share - 2000 - 2009; Table 152 - Chunghwa Telecom market share by segment - 2008; Table 153 - Chunghwa Telecom’s mobile subscribers and ARPU - 2006 - 2008; Table 154 - Telephone network statistics in Tajikistan - 2008; Table 155 - Telephone network statistics in Thailand - 2009; Table 156 - Fixed-line subscribers and market share by operator in Thailand - 2008; Table 157 - Public payphones in Thailand - 2008; Table 158 - TOT’s total revenues - 2005 - 2009; Table 159 - TOT’s fixed-line subscribers - 2005 - 2009; Table 160 - Telephone network statistics in Timor Leste - 2008; Table 161 - Telecom revenue and investment statistics in Timor Leste - 2007; Table 162 - Timor Telecom’s mobile subscribers - 2003 - 2009; Table 163 - Telephone network statistics in Turkmenistan - 2008; Table 164 - Fixed lines in service and teledensity in Turkmenistan - 1991 - 2009; Table 165 - Telephone network statistics in Uzbekistan - 2008; Table 166 - Telephone network statistics in Vietnam - 2008; Exhibit 1 - Restructuring of China’s telecommunications industry; Exhibit 2 - Restructuring of China’s telecommunications industry - scenario 1; Exhibit 3 - Restructuring of China’s telecommunications industry - scenario 2; Exhibit 4 - Restructuring of China’s telecommunications industry - scenario 3; Exhibit 5 - China Telecom Corporation Ltd* at a glance - 2008; Exhibit 6 - China Unicom Ltd at a glance - 2008; Exhibit 7 - China Network Communications Group Corporation (Hong Kong) Ltd at a glance - 1H 2008; Exhibit 8 - United Telecom’s Tbilisi network infrastructure; Exhibit 9 - The ‘original’ PCCW deal; Exhibit 10 - Major telecommunications players in India; Exhibit 11 - Fixed-line basic services by operator in India - 2008; Exhibit 12 - Major members of MYLINE Carriers Association in Japan - January 2009; Exhibit 13 - Significant telecoms operators in Japan; Exhibit 14 - NTT Group structure - March 2009; Exhibit 15 - Softbank operations; Exhibit 16 - Kazakhtelecom’s modernisation program for telecommunications - 2004 - 2007; Exhibit 17 - Telekom Malaysia’s major shareholders - March 2009; Exhibit 18 - PTCL subsidiary companies; Exhibit 19 - PTCL Joint ventures and affiliated companies; Exhibit 20 - SingTel’s regional subsidiaries and shareholdings - 2009; Exhibit 21 - Classification of service providers in South Korea; Exhibit 22 - Significant telecoms operators in South Korea; Exhibit 23 - Overview of KT subsidiaries; Exhibit 24 - Telecommunications system operator licensees in Sri Lanka; Exhibit 25 - Major shareholders in SLT; Exhibit 26 - Key service concessions in Thailand; Exhibit 27 - Major operators by market segment in Thailand; Exhibit 28 - TOT’s troubled business processes

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