Complementing the analysis of the state of fixed broadband, it is the turn to analyze the official data from the CNMC on the evolution of mobile linescorresponding to the month of January 2023, which has allowed the market to grow 3.2% more than a year ago, reaching 57.75 million lines. During January, the global computation of the entire market has meant a gain of 42,790 lines.
From the data published by the CNMC in reference to the mobile telephony market, two views can be distinguished: the portability results with the lines that change operators keeping the same telephone number, and on the other hand, the net line profitwhich, in addition to portability, takes into account the lines registered with a new number, and the lines that have been cancelled.
To analyze the trend of each operator with a more global vision, we are going to compare the results obtained in January for the past four years and the accumulated so far in the year 2022.
Vodafone contributes 45% of lost lines through portability, Movistar 36% and Orange 14%
The Mobile portability in January was 476,400 lineswhich is 9.9% less than the volume registered in the same month of 2021. This month, Vodafone lost 21,800 lines despite already being the fourth month with the new offer of cheaper rates, followed by Movistar with 17,700 lines lost (and which also renewed its rates for a cheaper offer), and Orange lost another 6,700 lines.
MásMóvil lost lines again after a positive Christmas, and let a total of 2,600 lines escape. Therefore, the only ones who gained lines were the independent MVNOsled by Digi and Avatel, adding more than 48,800 lines to their ranks.
Refering to trend with respect to the same month of previous years, especially MásMóvil and Vodafone worsened, and more timidly, also the independent MVNOs. Orange and Movistar improved their trend, but are still in negative numbers.
Bad start to the year for Vodafone and Orange
As we said, the net gain of lines includes, in addition to the portability data, the additions of new numbers and the cancellations of lines. But despite being a more global data, it usually suffers notorious temporary fluctuations due to the way that the CNMC has of counting as casualties prepaid lines that have been without activity for three months.
In January, Movistar gained almost as many lines as MásMóvil, which were half of what was achieved by the group of independents. Among the losers, Vodafone missed more than 50,000 lines, and Orange another 9,900 lines.
As a consequence of the previous data on net profit and the concentration of operators, the market shares that continue to shorten distances between Movistar and Orange, which are 3 million lines apart, Orange widens the gap with Vodafone, separating them by nearly 0.22 million lines; while MásMóvil is 0.7 million lines away from reaching Vodafone.
In the month of January, Movistar and Orange have reduced their differences by 33,000 lines, Orange and Vodafone by 40,000 lines, and Vodafone and MásMóvil by 75,000 lines.
In the last four years, Movistar has lost a 2.20% market shareOrange loses 2.53%, Vodafone loses 0.67%, MásMóvil has grown 7% and independent MVNOs grew 1.61%.
More information | CNMC.
In Xataka Mobile | What the user does not see after the porting process.