Data revealed from the GlobalComms Database indicates that an increasing number of European mobile operators are moving beyond their original business models and into the fixed line broadband market.
While SFR is the most striking example--it has transformed itself into a broadband heavyweight in just three years, numerous other European mobile operators have made inroads in the broadband market. Vodafone Germany had 3.9 million broadband subscribers in Q1 2010, while Telefonica O2 Germany and Russia's Vimpelcom both had more than 2.4 million subscribers.
"The majority of mobile operators forging into the broadband market are in countries with mature mobile markets, where mobile subscriber growth rates have slowed to a crawl," said Tig Harvey, research director at TeleGeography. "Entering the broadband market enables mobile operators to gain incremental revenues, and to market bundled services in competition with incumbents." Article