IPTV connections up by 10% in 2024: communications authority data
Mobile telephony most widely adopted electronic communications service
While cable-based TV connections dropped by 4% between 2023 and 2024, IPTV connections increased by 10.4%, according to data published by the communications authority on Monday.
Mobile telephony, fixed broadband, and television services all registered an increase in subscriptions last year when compared to the previous 12 months, the information published by the Malta Communications Authority shows.
Mobile telephony remains the most widely adopted electronic communications service, with a penetration rate of 133.4% by the end of 2024, up from 133% in 2023. Subscriptions were up by 2.3% year-on-year, with the total subscription base reaching 766,620.
The increase in take-up of post-paid plans remained strong whilst fewer subscriptions for pre-paid plans were recorded.
The shift towards post-paid plans also contributed to a rise in mobile traffic volumes, reinforcing the sector’s role in data communications apart from being a widely used platform for voice services.
Fixed broadband also saw steady growth, with subscriptions increasing by 1.8% year-on-year, reaching 240,162 subscriptions by the end of 2024.
The ongoing rollout of Fibre-to-the-Home remained a key market development, with one of the major operators continuing to transition customers, in large numbers, from legacy copper-based services to fibre infrastructure.
The television segment also exhibited an upward trend in take-up, with subscriptions growing by 2.4% year-on-year. IPTV services remained a significant growth area, as operators leverage improved broadband infrastructure.
Conversely, fixed telephony showed a decline, with subscriptions contracting by 1.8% year-on-year, marking another consecutive drop for this segment.
The volume of fixed-line calls also decreased, underscoring the diminishing role of traditional telephony in everyday communications.
Despite the shrinking subscriber base, the annual average revenue per fixed-line user saw a modest increase, rising from €97.55 in 2023 to €98.44 in 2024.
In 2024, the postal sector experienced a 3.8% drop in mail volumes, with decreases across all categories of universal service mail.
The largest year-on-year drop in volumes, at 15.6%, was recorded under the single-piece letter mail category.
However, inbound cross-border mail outside the scope of the universal service saw significant growth, driven by a 30.7% increase in parcel deliveries, reflecting the continued expansion of e-commerce.