European telecom survey

European telecom survey
Eurostat analyzed the telecom evolution in Europe (25 countries) in 2004. Main results are a flat level of fixed lines (about 226m) and an ever-increasing number of mobile users with about 409m. But the situation is strongly country-dependent. For fixed lines, some western countries are still loosing fixed connections (-2.6% in Austria) while growth can be up to 9% in some eastern countries (i.e. Poland) or Spain (+6.6%). The number of mobile operators is increasing in each country, increasing competition and dragging pricing down, and offering various choices to customers. Low penetration countries are growing faster than others and filling the gap. Internet access is also on the rise. 43% of European households had an internet connection in 2004, and the highest level of internet access, the highest level of broadband penetration. The evolution is, however, marked by streamlining operation, cutting cost, workforce rationalization, and increased productivity: in short, many jobs cuts.