Chile's telecom market rebounds with bundles and data services

CAMBRIDGE, UK: Despite the impact of the economic crisis and a 45 percent reduction in mobile interconnection charges in 2009, Chile will remain one of the most advanced telecom markets in Latin America, with its availability of advanced data communications solutions, multiplay offerings and overall telecom services adoption giving it an edge over other markets in the region, according to a new report from Pyramid Research.

Chile: Mobile Data and Product Bundles Continue to Power Strong Growth delivers a full accounting of Chile's telecom sector, including a full breakout of network operator revenues and market share by network service type (fixed services, mobile services, and pay TV).

The 30-page report provides a five-year demand forecast for telecom services in Chile, broken out by seven different service types, as well as a five-year forecast of mobile service uptake by technology type. It includes a detailed analysis of Chile's regulatory and economic environment and offers action points for network operators, vendors, and investors.

Chile's telecom market will rebound with a 4.4 percent CAGR from 2010 through 2015, reaching $6.1 billion, propelled by significant increases in fixed and mobile data services. Mobile data service revenue will account for 23 percent of total service revenue by 2015, notes Sergio Cruz Zarate, Analyst at Large at Pyramid Research.

"Revenue derived from data services will increase from 24 percent in 2010 to 35 percent in 2015. The rise will be the result of higher penetration rates enabled by continued declines in pricing," indicates Zarate.

Bundled offers, a decrease in tariffs, and wide coverage have helped broadband gain traction despite the economic crisis. "Broadband operators - fixed and mobile - are bundling connectivity with devices, helping to push penetration higher. Pyramid Research projects fixed broadband penetration to reach 17.1 percent by year-end 2015," Zarate says.

Pay-TV, which remains largely underpenetrated in Chile at less than 40 percent of the households, will also see an important rate of growth during the forecast period (8.5 percent CAGR) driven by the entry of traditional telecommunications service providers into the pay-TV space.