This study provides the latest research on development of mobile communications in the Balkans. In general, the region is the only part of Europe still being far away from saturation. At this stage of the market development, ARPU levels are still high. Nevertheless, the predictable sharp growth in the number of mobile customers, resulting in increased ratio of less-valuable users, threatens to drop the operators' ARPUs. For that reason, detection of modalities needed for approach to the incredibly price-sensitive markets, in order to reach the objectives planned, represents anything but a straightforward task for the operators developing business in the region.
This study provides five-year forecasts, with data segmented into subscriber numbers split into prepaid and contract categories. It also analyzes revenue divided into those generated by voice communications, SMS, and data communications. The study fully covers five countries: Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Montenegro, and Serbia. The mobile telephony market of Kosovo province is commented on within a separate chapter, but without numerical indicators presented in the form of tables.
"At a first sight, Balkan mobile operators are passing through the phase that allows them to simply wait while their customer base and revenue grow, based on rising acceptance of existing basic services offered. However, the extremely price-sensitive environment in which they develop their businesses requires the players to boost the efforts aimed at monitoring, analyzing, and assessing of the changes that are occurring in the market, in order to be capable of proactively adapting their business policies to the new challenges." – Krešimir Alic, Research Analyst, IDC Adriatics