Calls via landline and SMS usage almost halved in 4 years in the Netherlands
The number of text messages in the Netherlands has fallen in the past four years from 3.3 billion in 2019 to 1.8 billion in 2022. The number of calling minutes via a fixed line has halved in that period to 4.8 billion in 2022. The trend of the shift from fixed to mobile calls and from telephone calls to data consumption is clear from the figures. netherlands landline sms
Meanwhile, the emergence of the Internet of Things (IoT) is driving strong demand for phone numbers for devices with connectivity. Almost half of the numbers available for this purpose have now been published. This is stated in the interactive dashboard of the Telecom Monitor of the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets ( ACM ). The Telecom Monitor now also contains data on number issuance.
There are more and more devices that can exchange data remotely, such as smart smoke detectors or alarm systems. Due to the emergence of such devices, there is also a great demand for telephone numbers for these applications. In 2022, ACM will have issued 37 percent more numbers; the fastest-growing category of all issues issued. Almost half of the 100 million available numbers in this category have now been issued (47.5 million).
89 percent of the 06 numbers have been issued; a slight increase (1 percent) compared to a year earlier. Because demand continues to rise, ACM advises the legislator to make 06760 numbers available for mobile telephony. These numbers are intended for internet access for certain services but are no longer used.
Network investments netherlands landline sms
Last year, more was invested in fixed than mobile networks. EUR 550 million was spent on mobile networks and EUR 2.5 billion on fixed networks, such as the installation of fiber optics. The number of fiber optic connections rose by 1.2 million to 5.7 million. There are now just as many households with a copper connection as a fiber optic connection. The number of copper connections fell by 200 thousand last year. There are still many more cable connections: almost 8 million.
Fewer forwarding services
The number of allocated telephone numbers for information and subscriber information services (such as 0800 numbers and 0906 numbers) has been falling gradually for years. In recent years, ACM has focused on preventing and tackling deception in forwarding services. The rules for these services will therefore be amended in 2022 on the advice of ACM. ACM has become stricter in both assigning information numbers and enforcing violations.
The situation is similar in other parts of Europe, where the decline in fixed phone and SMS usage is evident. In the US, the trend is also toward mobile calls and data consumption, with an increasing number of households relying solely on smartphones. As telecommunications continue to evolve, it’s crucial for companies to stay ahead of the curve and adapt to changing consumer needs.
