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Mobile Phones - Ireland - June 2019

OVERVIEW
What you need to know
Issues covered in this Report
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The market
Figure 1: Total number of mobile phone subscribers, NI and RoI, 2014-19
Forecast
Figure 2: Indexed number of mobile phone subscribers, NI and RoI, 2014-24
Market factors
Smartphone ownership remains at peak levels
Consumers opting for pay monthly services
Data usage continues to grow
Mobile operators stepping up 5G preparations
Companies, brands and innovations
The consumer
Irish mobile phone market dominated by Apple and Samsung
Figure 3: Manufacturer of smartphone owned, NI and RoI, March 2019
Figure 4: Operating system consumers use on their smartphone, NI and RoI, March 2019
O2 the leading provider in NI, Three and Vodafone in RoI
Figure 5: Mobile network providers used by consumers for their main mobile phone, NI, March 2019
Figure 6: Mobile network providers used by consumers for their main mobile phone, RoI, March 2019
Contracts the main payment plan used by Irish consumers
Figure 7: Type of mobile network connection, NI and RoI, March 2019
Majority of consumers do not switch mobile network provider
Figure 8: Switched mobile network provider in the last 12 months, NI and RoI, March 2019
Satisfaction with mobile phone coverage high among Irish consumers
Figure 9: Agreement with statements related to mobile phones, NI and RoI, March 2019
What we think
THE MARKET – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Subdued growth in RoI mobile phone market
Smartphone ownership high
Contracts the main type of mobile payment plan
Data usage grows across the UK/NI and RoI
MARKET SIZE AND FORECAST
Mobile phone subscriptions to see slow growth in 2019
Figure 10: Total number of mobile phone subscribers, IoI, NI and RoI, 2014-24
Mobile phone subscriptions to growing through to 2024
Figure 11: Indexed number of mobile phone subscribers, NI and RoI, 2014-24
Contracts remain popular among consumers
Figure 12: Mobile subscriptions, by prepay and post-pay, RoI, 2014-18
Figure 13: Percentage of customers on pre- or post-pay, by operator, RoI, 2018
Consumers see cost of phone contracts increase
Figure 14: Monthly average revenue per user, by prepay and post-pay, RoI, 2014-18
Marginal growth in value of mobile market expected in 2019
Figure 15: Total value of the mobile communications market, RoI, 2014-24
Voice communications driving revenue growth in mobile market
Figure 16: Annualised mobile retail revenues, RoI, 2014-18
Mobile voice traffic flat in 2018, landline minutes decline
Figure 17: Total voice traffic, RoI, 2014-18
Figure 18: Proportion of voice traffic via mobile and fixed channels, RoI, 2014 and 2018
MARKET DRIVERS
Ownership of smartphones remains high
Figure 19: Ownership of, or access to, mobile technology devices, NI and RoI, March 2019
NI consumers satisfied with mobile phone reception
Figure 20: Satisfaction with reception of mobile service, UK and NI, 2019
Service performance the leading complaint for UK/NI mobile users
Figure 21: Reasons consumers make a complaint about mobile phones, UK (including NI), 2018
Strong growth in mobile data usage continues in 2018
Figure 22: Average monthly data usage, UK (including NI), 2014-18
Figure 23: Average mobile data usage, RoI, 2013-18
UK/NI and RoI consumers benefit from competitive mobile data costs
Figure 24: Cost of 1GB of mobile data in selected European Union countries, 2018
Smartphones a key channel for online shopping
Figure 25: Usage of smartphones to shop online in the last three months, NI and RoI, December 2018
Vodafone Ireland launched first 5G trial
COMPANIES AND BRANDS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Camera quality of new handsets evolving
Three UK commits to frictionless data usage
Sky and Tesco Mobile using main businesses to reward mobile customers
WHO’S INNOVATING?
First 5G-enabled phones preparing to enter the market
Foldable handsets ready for launch
Handsets incorporating more rear lenses to improve picture quality
Wireless charging is now built-in handset technology
COMPETITIVE STRATEGIES – KEY PLAYERS
BT Group (BT, EE, Open Reach)
BT Mobile
Key facts
Products and services
Recent developments
EE (Everything Everywhere)
Key facts
Products and services
Recent developments
CK Hutchison Holdings (Three)
Key facts
Products and services
Recent developments
Eir Group
Key facts
Products and services
Recent developments
Post Mobile
Key facts
Products and services
Sky Plc
Key facts
Products and services
Recent developments
Telefónica (O2)
Key facts
Products and services
Recent developments
Tesco Mobile
Key facts
Products and services
Recent developments
Vodafone
Key facts
Products and services
Recent developments
THE CONSUMER – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Android and iOS the main operating systems used
NI mobile market dominated by O2, Three and Vodafone in RoI
Irish consumers favour mobile phone contracts
Satisfaction with mobile services high among Irish consumers
MANUFACTURER AND OPERATING SYSTEM USED
Apple and Samsung the leading smartphone brands in Ireland
Figure 26: Manufacturer of smartphone owned, NI and RoI, March 2019
iPhone popular among young consumers
Figure 27: Ownership of an Apple or Samsung smartphone (eg iPhone), by age, NI, March 2019
Figure 28: Ownership of an Apple smartphone (eg iPhone), by age, RoI, March 2019
Android dominates operating system usage
Figure 29: Operating system consumers use on their smartphone, NI and RoI, March 2019
Android popular among C2DEFs
Figure 30: Use of Android operating system on smartphones, by social class, NI and RoI, March 2019
Figure 31: Use of iOS operating system on smartphones, by social class, NI and RoI, March 2019
MOBILE NETWORK PROVIDER USED
O2 the main mobile network in NI
Figure 32: Mobile network providers used by consumers for their main mobile phone, NI, March 2019
Millennials are key O2 users
Figure 33: Consumers using O2 as the mobile network provider for their main mobile phone, by generation, March 2019
Three and Vodafone dominate RoI mobile market
Figure 34: Mobile network providers used by consumers for their main mobile phone, RoI, March 2019
Urban rural divide in mobile network usage
Figure 35: Top four mobile network providers used by consumers for their main mobile phone, by region, RoI, March 2019
TYPE OF MOBILE NETWORK CONNECTION
Post-paid services remain popular among Irish consumers
Figure 36: Type of mobile network connection, NI and RoI, March 2019
Mobile connection type is linked to household income
Figure 37: Consumers’ use of pay-as-you-go and contract services with their phone, by income, NI, March 2019
Figure 38: Consumers’ use of pay-as-you-go and contract services with their phone, by income, RoI, March 2019
SWITCHING MOBILE NETWORK PROVIDER
Irish consumers staying with current network provider
Figure 39: Switched mobile network provider in the last 12 months, NI and RoI, March 2019
16-34-year-olds most likely to switch providers
Figure 40: Consumers who have switched mobile network provider in the last 12 months, by age, NI and RoI, March 2019
Switching mobile networks lowest in rural areas
Figure 41: Consumers who have not switched mobile network provider in the last 12 months, by location, NI, March 2019
Figure 42: Consumers who have not switched mobile network provider in the last 12 months, by location, RoI, March 2019
ATTITUDES TOWARDS MOBILE PHONES
Irish consumers happy with mobile network coverage
Figure 43: Agreement with statements relating to mobile phones, NI and RoI, March 2019
Urban consumers happiest with mobile network coverage
Figure 44: Agreement with the statement ‘I find the coverage of my phone network to be good’, by area, NI, March 2019
Figure 45: Agreement with the statement ‘I find the coverage of my phone network to be good’, by area, RoI, March 2019
Wireless charging appeals to Millennials
Figure 46: Agreement with the statement ‘I would be interested in getting a smartphone that can be charged wirelessly’, by generation, NI and RoI, March 2019
Damaged smartphone devices highest among Millennials
Figure 47: Agreement with statements relating to mobile phones, by age, NI, March 2019
Figure 48: Agreement with statements relating to mobile phones, by age, RoI, March 2019
APPENDIX – DATA SOURCES, ABBREVIATIONS AND SUPPORTING INFORMATION
Data sources
Generational cohort definitions
Abbreviations

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