The number of 4G mobile network connections increased by 113% year-on-year in Romania in 2016, accounting for about a third of the total broadband mobile Internet connections, according to data from Romania’s National Communications Authority (ANCOM). The number of 4G connections amounted to 5.8 million in 2016, up from 2.7 million one year before.

Meanwhile, the mobile Internet usage per connection has also seen a significant increase over 2015, with average monthly traffic rising from 0.41 GB to 0.73 GB.

The data processed by ANCOM shows that the total number of broadband mobile connections amounted to 16.6 million at the end of 2016, up 13.5% over the previous year. Meanwhile, the mobile Internet penetration rate reached 84.2%, up by more than 10 percentage points over 2015.

The total traffic achieved through broadband mobile Internet connections almost doubled last year, from 85,000 TB in 2015 to 169,000 TB in 2016. Also, the average monthly traffic per connection increased by 77% year-on-year, from 0.41 GB to 0.73 GB.

Meanwhile, the number of fixed broadband Internet connections reached 4.4 million at the end of 2016, recording an annual growth of 4.4%. Through these connections, users made a total traffic of 5.4 million TB, while the average monthly consumption per connection reached 103 GB.

More than half of these connections (55%) allow best-effort speeds of at least 100Mbps, 34% are connections that allow best-effort speeds between 10Mbps and 100Mbps, and only 11% are connections with speeds of 10Mbps or less.

ANCOM data also shows that the number of fixed Internet connections installed in rural areas increased by 6% year-on-year in 2016, to 1.2 million, while the number of connections in urban areas went up by 4%, to 3.2 million.

Telecom operator Orange Romania announced on Monday that it has reached 100% 4G coverage in urban areas. The Orange 4G network now covers 7,585 localities in Romania.

Fixed broadband internet connections in Romania 80% faster in 2016, mobile speed – up 35%

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com