The number of broadband internet subscribers in Russia grew by 4.7% to 31.3 million in 2016.
However, quoting preliminary findings by TMT Consulting and Telecom Daily, Kommersant reports that revenues last year increased by only 2.9% to R125.6 billion (€1.96 billion).
Meanwhile, the average monthly bill for broadband internet subscribers amounted to R341.
Growth in the subscriber base was mainly down to operators making their products more attractive. While the fixed line market is saturated, there are still opportunities in new regions.
Rostelecom accounted for nearly 50% of new connections in 2016, adding 760,000 subscribers (+7%) to its total, which stood at 11.5 million as of year’s end.
This was down to both construction of new networks and the acquisition of existing ones.
At the same time, ER Telecom saw its subscriber base increase by 305,000 (+11%) and MTS gained 205,000 (+8%) new customers.
MGTS was the leading provider in Moscow, with its subscriber base growing by 7% in 2016.
It ended last year claiming a 32% share of the city’s broadband market.