DREM releases the updated time series on Communications for the Autonomous Region of Madeira with 2023 data
The Regional Directorate of Statistics of Madeira (DREM) releases the time series for the Communications sector in the Autonomous Region of Madeira updated with 2023 data.
This time series is based on information collected directly by Statistics Portugal (INE) and the National Communications Authority (ANACOM).
Electronic communications – ARM approached the national average in broadband internet access per 100 inhabitants in fixed locations
According to data provided by ANACOM, the number of residential customers using high-speed fixed network services reached 90.8 thousand in the fourth quarter of 2023. When compared to the same quarter last year, a growth of 3.8% was observed.
In the 4th quarter of 2023, the penetration rate of residential customers facing private households reached 95.7%, an increase of 3.4 percentage points (pp) compared to the same period last year. This rate exceeded the national average (88.3%) by 7.4 pp.
This growth trend has also been observed in cabled high-speed households, both in FTTH (Fibre to the Home) optic fibre networks, the main fixed location access technology, and in HFC (Hybrid Fibre-Coaxial) cable TV networks.
By the end of the 4th quarter of 2023, the number of households in the Autonomous Region of Madeira cabled with optic fibre (FTTH/B) by all operators was 218 808, representing a 20.4% growth year-on-year. It should be noted that a single dwelling may be wired by multiple operators. Considering the households prepared to receive these services, but supported by cable TV networks, there were 94 590 households in the Autonomous Region of Madeira under these circumstances in the 4th quarter of 2023, equivalent to the value of the same quarter of 2022.
Regarding broadband Internet access at a fixed location, in 2023, the coverage reached 43.1% of the ARM population, compared to 43.5% on a national level. Porto Santo (57.4%), Calheta (48.6%) and both Funchal and São Vicente (47.0%) were the municipalities with the highest coverage rates, in contrast with Câmara de Lobos (33.2%), Ribeira Brava (37.0%), Machico (40.0%) and Santana (40.6%), which had the lowest rates. In 2023, the number of broadband internet accesses (at a fixed location) in the residential segment was 92 510 and in the non-residential segment 17,551, totalling 110 061 (+2.9% than in 2022).
The number of subscribers to television subscription services has steadily increased over time. In 2004 – the first year for which this indicator is available – there were 65 520 subscribers, and in 2023, were counted 112 097 subscribers, up by 2.2% over 2022, albeit slightly higher than that observed at the national level (+2.1%).
The number of telephone accesses per 100 inhabitants in the Autonomous Region of Madeira has maintained a growth trend since 2020, reaching the maximum value in the series (50.63) in 2023, which began in 2000. The highest value was recorded in Porto Santo (64.16) and the lowest in Câmara de Lobos (36.61). In 2023, the number of main residential telephone accesses reached 95.1 thousand, while non-residential accesses increased to 34.2 thousand accesses. In total, the number of accesses amounted to approximately 129.3 thousand. It is worth noting that, at the national level, the number of telephone accesses per 100 inhabitants in 2023 was 51.21.
With the widespread use of mobile phones, the number of public telephone booths in the ARM has been declining in recent years, decreasing from 349 in 2013, to 148 in 2022, a decrease of 57.6%. When comparing 2022 to 2023 there was a change of -21.%, slightly less pronounced than the national decline of 21.7%.
Postal services – One more post agency compared to 2022
In 2023, the number of post offices (19) remained unchanged from the previous year. To the number of post agencies, 1 new post agency was added in the municipality of Ribeira Brava, compared with last year. In 2023, there are 55 postal establishments in total.
For more information, please click on: