Adriana Sas
Research expert covering the Polish market
Mobile communications in Poland - statistics & facts
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The first mobile network in Poland was established in 1991, but modern mobile telephony began in 1996 with the arrival of the first operator. Initially, high costs and subscription fees discouraged mobile phone usage. The early 2000s saw the first experiments with mobile internet, which has since become essential for network development, particularly with LTE Advanced technology. Just as GSM telephony transformed communication in 1996, mobile internet revolutionized it in 2016.
Due to the mandatory registration of prepaid cards in 2016, the number of prepaid users has significantly decreased in favor of post-paid customers. As a result, at the end of 2023, prepaid users constituted only 26 percent of all mobile telephony users.
In 2023, the increasing trend for revenue from mobile telephony services continued. The operators' total revenues amounted to more than 15 billion zloty and were over six percent higher than in the previous year. Revenue growth was recorded in almost all types of mobile services. The mobile telephony market represented a significant area of telecommunication activity, generating over 35 percent of revenues in Poland's telecommunications market.
As of 2023, the network operator P4 was the leader in the number of mobile telephony users with a 30 percent share, followed by Orange Polska.
The " Roam Like At Home" regulation significantly impacted Poles' use of mobile telephony services. The application in other EU countries of the same rates for voice calls, SMS, and data transmission as customers in Poland resulted in Poles using their mobile phones much more frequently abroad. The total duration of voice calls made (initiated) while roaming in 2023 amounted to nearly four billion minutes, a four percent decrease compared to the previous year.
Poland is also implementing the 5G network, which is supposed to enable a 50- to 100-fold increase in transmission speed compared to current 4G networks. This technology will accelerate, among other things, the development of the Internet of Things, telemedical services, autonomous vehicles, and smart cities. In 2023, the fastest 5G download speed was nearly 114 Mbps.
The European Commission has obliged Poland to launch a 5G network in one of the largest cities by the end of 2020. By the end of 2025, the 5G network will cover all major cities of each EU member state and all major transport routes.
Mobile market characteristics
The mobile market in Poland is saturated, reflected in the decreasing number of SIM cards. At the end of 2023, 52.4 million active SIM cards were recorded.Due to the mandatory registration of prepaid cards in 2016, the number of prepaid users has significantly decreased in favor of post-paid customers. As a result, at the end of 2023, prepaid users constituted only 26 percent of all mobile telephony users.
In 2023, the increasing trend for revenue from mobile telephony services continued. The operators' total revenues amounted to more than 15 billion zloty and were over six percent higher than in the previous year. Revenue growth was recorded in almost all types of mobile services. The mobile telephony market represented a significant area of telecommunication activity, generating over 35 percent of revenues in Poland's telecommunications market.
As of 2023, the network operator P4 was the leader in the number of mobile telephony users with a 30 percent share, followed by Orange Polska.
Mobile telephony usage
In 2023, the duration of outgoing calls in mobile telephony decreased by two percent. Mobile customers made calls with a total duration of 113 billion minutes. Statistically, it was 2,958 minutes per year for every inhabitant of Poland, 108 minutes less than in 2022.The " Roam Like At Home" regulation significantly impacted Poles' use of mobile telephony services. The application in other EU countries of the same rates for voice calls, SMS, and data transmission as customers in Poland resulted in Poles using their mobile phones much more frequently abroad. The total duration of voice calls made (initiated) while roaming in 2023 amounted to nearly four billion minutes, a four percent decrease compared to the previous year.
Poland is also implementing the 5G network, which is supposed to enable a 50- to 100-fold increase in transmission speed compared to current 4G networks. This technology will accelerate, among other things, the development of the Internet of Things, telemedical services, autonomous vehicles, and smart cities. In 2023, the fastest 5G download speed was nearly 114 Mbps.
The European Commission has obliged Poland to launch a 5G network in one of the largest cities by the end of 2020. By the end of 2025, the 5G network will cover all major cities of each EU member state and all major transport routes.
Adriana Sas
,
Nov 19, 2024
Adriana Sas
Research expert covering the Polish market
