Fibre internet connections increased by a third in just 12 months, according to Malta Communications Authority data published on Monday. 

Subscriptions via the FTTH (fibre-to-the-home) network were up by 9,628 to 41,292, year-on-year data for the second quarter of 2021 shows.

MCA figures also show that cable DOCSIS 3.1 subscriptions rose by 4,333 (4.3 per cent) to 105,496. Additionally, the fixed wireless broadband segment registered an increase of 970 subscriptions (7.3 per cent).

The only recorded decline was registered for the copper DSL network, with the number of subscriptions dropping by 6,000 (9.6 per cent) year-on-year to 56,813 by the end of June 2021.

Overall, the fixed broadband segment saw a 4.3 per cent uptick in subscriptions over 12 months, reaching a total of 217,862 by the end of June.

Two notable outcomes for this segment are the continued year-on-year growth in take-up for fast and ultra-fast download speeds, and a 1.4 percentage point increase in subscriptions on a bundle package, representing 93.8 per cent of all fixed broadband subscriptions.

On Monday the MCA outlines the main market trends in telecom and postal activities, based on figures submitted by local service providers for the second quarter of this year.

The telecommunications sector exhibited continued growth in contract-based mobile telephony plans and a notable jump in mobile data consumption alongside further growth in take-up for fixed data services on fast and ultra-fast download speeds. 

As for the postal segment, overall mail volumes for the first six months of the year were slightly lower compared to the same period a year earlier.

This drop is mainly attributable to declines in letters and bulk domestic mail. Otherwise, the inbound cross-border mail segment registered healthy growth.

Mobile telephony

The same MCA data shows that the mobile telephony segment experienced a notable rise in take-up, as subscriptions jumped by 25,727 (4.2 per cent), to 642,060 by the end of June.

This represents a significant departure from the picture observed a year ago, given the then shrinking subscriber base due to COVID-induced migration outflows, the MCA said.

More significant is the rate at which take-up of post-paid plans outpaced growth in the pre-paid segment.

Comparing figures as at the end of June 2021 to those recorded a year earlier, the number of post-paid subscriptions was up by 19,350 (7.8 per cent) while the number of pre-paid subscriptions was up by 6,377 (1.7 per cent).

Meanwhile, compared to the first six months of 2020, the number of roaming minutes was down by 18.7 per cent while the number of units of data consumed (in million Mb) was up by 27.3 per cent.