Operators of electronic communications in Montenegro invested around 76.3 million euros in the development of electronic communication networks and services during the past year, as announced by the Agency for Electronic Communications and Postal Services (EKIP). This represents a 10.75% increase compared to 2022 when investments amounted to 68.9 million euros.
“This high level of investment contributes to further increasing the availability of modern, high-quality electronic communication services throughout the territory of Montenegro,” the statement said.
EKIP emphasizes that the mentioned investment amount does not include the funds of 8.84 million euros that companies Crnogorski Telekom, One Crna Gora, and Mtel paid to the budget of Montenegro as a one-time fee for the allocation of radio frequency usage permissions based on a competition conducted by the Agency.
As stated in the announcement, electronic communications fall into the category of infrastructure industries, and investments in telecommunication and information infrastructure are one of the main drivers of economic progress. Frequent changes and technological innovations in the electronic communications market necessitate continuous investment in research and development, infrastructure development, and the introduction of new technologies and services.
“Operators of electronic communications in Montenegro are aware of this, and they are significantly dedicated to investments. Increased investments in electronic communications have a highly positive impact on efficiency in other sectors, ultimately stimulating overall economic growth,” says EKIP.
New investments from electronic communication operators are expected, continuing the trend of high investment in the electronic communications sector.
“Operators plan to invest around 68 million euros in 2024, over 55 million in 2025, and about 48 million euros in 2026,” they add.
It is pointed out that over the past 10 years, there has been a trend of significant investments in the development of electronic communication networks and services, with companies in this sector investing over 730 million euros. This trend, they emphasize, has been present since 2016, which was a record year in terms of investments, with operators investing over 116 million euros in their networks.
“The long-term trend of high investments in the electronic communications sector confirms the fact that Montenegro has a stable and predictable legal and regulatory framework, creating equal conditions for all market participants,” concludes the EKIP statement.