The Polish mobile telecommunications market is one of the most saturated markets in Poland. The endeavour to attract customers includes not only low rates and smartphones for PLN 1, but also some rivalry in terms of competitive offers and methods of communication.
According to the Central Statistical Bureau, in December 2015, Polish operators provided services through some 56.206 million SIM cards. The outstanding leader was Orange Polska, with about 28.3% of the market share, second was Play with more than 25%, and following in their wake, were the Plus (Grupa Cyfrowy Polsat) and T-Mobile Polska operators.
The value of the Polish mobile communications market is estimated at about PLN 35 billion. No wonder operators try to attract clients, using all possible means. Smartphones for PLN 1 are not enough. Operators have taken battling for customers to a new level: they want to stand out because of compact offers, additional services and modes of communication.
Compact offers
The price war is over, but now there is competition for functionality of offers which have finally started to differ from one another. Orange is intensely promoting its optical fibre and offers bonuses for the purchase of mobile Internet online. It also focuses on music. You can even get Spotify Premium for two years for free, only in Orange. Customers also get two first Uber journeys for free.
Other operators have concentrated on the access to paid VOD content. Video on demand (VOD) has become a very popular form of spending free time by Poles. Among the most important are iPla packages and HBO GO for Plus’s clients. T-Mobile has started cooperation with TVN and as a result it offers many discounts and a separate video section in the player.pl application.
SmartDom is the offer of Plus. It connects phone, the Internet and… electricity bills. This mobile network operator is also an electricity provider – this enables the preparation of an attractive offer for the owners of free-standing buildings. If you have the SmartDom package in Plus, you may expect even a 50% discount on a chosen service.
Simplicity and safety
“According to research, more and more customers expect a simple offer and security”, said Maciej Witucki, the CEO of Orange Polska, in an interview for Gazeta Prawna daily, explaining the lowering of the number of options (from six to three in the case of one tariff), shorter duration of the contract (24 instead of 36) and setting a fixed price at PLN 0.29 for one minute to all networks, in case of all offers.
Orange was also the first network that introduced the “Safe Internet in your mobile phone” offer with gradual charging. The maximum price for a monthly transfer is only PLN 20, and when you exceed this limit, the Internet will just slow down, but further use will be free. This is the response to customers’ complaints in the case of bills that sometimes amounted to a few thousand zloty because of accidental transmission of data.
Plus and T-Mobile are also finishing work on new, more simple, offers. Both operators already offer additional services: T-Mobile offers Muzodajnia w Plusie, foreign language courses, or free artistic events.
Reputation war
The leader of the Polish mobile telecommunications market is Orange, a brand that has strengthened its position after a spectacular rebranding. Orange is the greatest advertiser among mobile operators. It also invests in social media and blogosphere, with two heroes of the communications industry that have won over the hearts of Poles. Another successful concept is the Orange Warsaw Festival that promotes a number of music stars every year.
Play emerged on the Polish market as an insurgent and started to attract its competition’s customers with great success. It prepared offers that were attractive and affordable for young people, including data transfers that were much cheaper than in the case of other operators, as well as lower prices of phones. It focused on the quality of devices and more advanced technology. It stood out thanks to non-standard communication.
Play decided to engage celebrities into their advertising campaigns. For three years the brand has been using a concept based on the participation of famous people in its television campaigns in order to show that more and more people decide to change their operators and choose Play. Ten years ago Play started its activity from nothing and since then it has become one of the most important players on the market. It is trying to refresh communication all the time, engaging new people and keeping to the standard that customers have come to expect. You cannot confuse Play’s commercials with the adverts of any other operator.
Although cheap phones are still the main element attracting Polish clients, additional services, such as the Internet, music, events and clear communication, are becoming really important.
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