Malta’s small telecom sector is among the most advanced in Europe. This has been helped by the topography, which has made it relatively easy for operators to expand the reach of their fibre infrastructure. With high mobile and broadband penetration rates, the government and regulator have effective strategies in place to capitalise on these infrastructure developments to ensure that the population has among the fastest data rates in Europe, and so is well positioned to take advantage of emerging e-commerce opportunities.
The sector has also been stimulated by regulatory measures designed to reduce consumer prices. Melita having been sold to EQT in late 2019 and Vodafone Malta having been sold to Monaco Telecom, and rebranded as Epic. The incumbent telco GO is investing in a subsea cable to connect the islands to France and Egypt. Expected to be ready for service in 2022, the cable will further enhance Malta’s internet bandwidth and lead to reduced prices for end-users.
As mentioned Malta and Gozo have three network operators: epic (former Vodafone), GO and Melita.
2G is on 900 and 1800 MHz, 3G on 2100 MHz. 4G/LTE has started on Vodafone's and Go's 1800 (B3) and 2600 (B7) MHz frequencies and 800 (B20) MHz was added later and Melita started with LTE too in 2018.
epic is in the lead with 44% market share in 2015, followed by GO with 39% and Melita with 15% only. Redtouch Fone was the first MVNO in Malta. They stopped providing services in 2018 and moved all customers to Melita.
In 2017 Vodafone and Melita agreed to a merger, but they were not able to satisfy the competition authorities as this new company would control about 62% of Malta's mobile market. That's why the merger was called off later.
epic is market leader with the best coverage on Malta and Gozo.
It started 4G/LTE in 2013 on 1800 and 2600 MHz and covered already 99% of population at the end of 2015 opened on most prepaid products.
Epic begun the rollout of a new fibre-optic network which will offer download speeds of up to 2Gbps. Until now, the firm has been utilising fibre infrastructure of rival operator GO under a wholesale agreement signed in 2018, but it is now deploying its own networks, beginning in the city of Mosta. Epic had just 1,162 fibre broadband subscribers at the end of 2020 according to figures from the Malta Communications Authority (MCA), as well as 8,245 fixed-wireless customers and almost 240,000 cellular subscribers.
Epic have selected Ericsson as their exclusive 5G radio access network (RAN) provider, bringing the wide-reaching benefits of 5G to Malta. As part of the new partnership, Epic will use Ericsson’s technology leadership to fully modernize their existing network.
RAN products and solutions from the Ericsson Radio System portfolio, including Ericsson Spectrum Sharing and Ericsson Antenna System will be deployed in Epic’s network as part of a smooth, fast, and cost-effective shift to 5G that will accelerate the digital transformation of Maltese society.
Ericsson RAN portfolio also includes Massive MIMO technology, which enables communication service providers to capitalize on mid-band 5G spectrum. And with a unique approach to energy optimization, Ericsson's radios and basebands will also improve the carbon footprint of Epic’s current network, contributing to significant energy savings.
GO Mobile is the big rival of Vodafone on the island giving good coverage and speeds too. 4G/LTE started in 2015 and covers most of the islands. At the moment it's expanding its fibre-optic 4G network.
GO has recently revamped its full mobile portfolio, allowing its customers to do so much more with their mobile bundle while on the move, thanks to unlimited data plans, at full speeds.
“Our unlimited data plans will allow our customers to really enjoy the best of Malta’s best rated network, with total peace of mind. They can connect to who and what matters to them, whether it’s accessing social networks, talking to family and friends overseas, entertaining their children, listening to their favourite tunes or watching their favourite TV programme with absolute peace of mind,” GO’s senior marketing manager, Alison Mercieca, said.
With more businesses shifting their operations online and more people working remotely, GO also enhanced its mobile plans for the business community so that everyone can really get to enjoy the benefits of these new plans.
Melita is Malta's smallest provider, but it controls half of the broadband market. Its 3G is on 2100 MHz, 4G/LTE has started in May 2018 in Valletta.
The 4G network is continually rolled out across the country. In 2018 it already covered 85% to reach nationwide coverage by the end of the year. Prepaid customers have access to 4G/LTE since September 2018.
Melita has launched what it says is a ‘nationwide’ 5G service, beating rivals Epic and GO to the country’s first commercial 5G offering. Melita claims that download speeds of up to 1Gbps will be available on its Ericsson-built network, although real-world speeds will be somewhat lower. Any customer with a 5G device can access the service, Melita CEO Harald Roesch told Times of Malta. He added: ‘Malta is one of the very few countries in the world with 5G nationwide coverage, and is now unparalleled in the EU. This investment benefits our economy in general.’ Melita is using existing spectrum for its 5G service ahead of an auction of 5G-capable licences in the 700MHz, 3.5GHz and 26GHz bands later this year.
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