BuddeComm's latest Benelux Annual Publication, ‘2007 Telecoms, Mobile and Broadband in the Benelux Market', profiles three of Europe's smaller but progressive telecom markets. Several sectors including mobile take-up and digital TV are influenced by the language and demographic landscape, as well as by the larger populations of neighbouring France and Germany. Luxembourg also hosts a number of European Union institutions, which has encouraged investment in telecom infrastructure.

Broadband developed strongly in these markets in 2007. The Netherlands retains the strongest broadband infrastructure in Europe and the greatest concentration of fibre deployment. Business models based on municipal involvement in infrastructure builds remains a keystone of national broadband success, which have influenced developments elsewhere in Europe.

This report presents a concise overview of sector liberalisation and privatisation in the Benelux countries, the development of product offerings for both mobile and broadband technologies, essential operator statistics in all telecom sectors, and the growing popularity of convergence and triple play services.

Key Highlights
Triple play services have become very popular in The Netherlands and Belgian, given the excellent broadband infrastructure in place and effective cross-platform competition which has dramatically reduced consumer prices for bundles services. By mid-2007 about 43% of Dutch households received bundled fixed-line telephony and broadband from the same provider.
The mobile market remains resilient, with operators focussing on migrating customers to higher ARPU 3G plans, so recouping significant investments in upgrading networks for HSDPA and EDGE technologies. Mobile TV is still a niche market, but network upgrades and a range of tested business models should establish the high-bandwidth mobile data sector as a real growth area in 2008.
Digital's share of the total television market increased to about 40% in The Netherlands by mid-2007, while High Definition TV offers from Belgian operators were among the first deployed in Europe.
The Netherlands remains a key global broadband market, with one of the most comprehensive fibre networks built by network providers and a number of municipalities. The incumbent KPN is also building a national hybrid fibre / VDSL network open to all operators on a wholesale basis. The open access model will provide for greater competition in coming years, ensuring that the country remains a broadband leader with cutting edge IP-based content and services.
Luxembourg is rapidly becoming a key player in wireless broadband, with Luxembourg City and Cisco developing a comprehensive urban WiMAX network. Luxembourg was one of the few countries in Europe which had a rising number of new broadband subscribers in 2007.
Benelux broadband penetration - 2007

Country Subscribers Penetration
Belgium 3,340,000 32%
Luxembourg 147,000 32%
Netherlands 6,110,000 37%

(Source: BuddeComm)

For those needing high level strategic information and objective analysis on this region, this 140+ page report is essential reading and gives further information on:

Recent spectrum regulations and the further development of high-speed mobile access;
Triple play development, reaching into homes and changing domestic concepts of delivered entertainment;
New broadband business models based on municipal co-operation and funding;
The changing face of converged media with widespread triple play services becoming a standard feature in homes.