A mobile network operator, also known as a wireless service provider, wireless carrier, cellular company, or mobile network carrier is a provider of wireless communication services. The main mobile network operators in Europe are listed below.
Albania Albania as per has 2.98 million subscribers, of whom 2.44 million are active users (101% penetration rate) (Q1 2026). Active users are considered those who have communicated in the last three months. The regulatory authority for telecommunication in Albania is the AKEP. In 2022 4iG group, owning ONE Telecommunications, acquired a majority stake of ALBtelecom Mobile, 80.27%, to a network merger in 2023.
Andorra Andorra has 88,109 mobile subscribers or about 113.63% mobile penetration.
Armenia Armenia has 3.5 million subscribers in total, and a 120% penetration rate.
Austria Austria has 13.0 million assigned numbers, or a 151.0% penetration rate (Q4 2014). The regulatory authority for telecommunication in Austria is the Austrian Regulatory Authority for Broadcasting and Telecommunications (RTR).
Azerbaijan In December 2005, Azerbaijan had 2 million subscribers in total, a 25% penetration rate. In 2014, Azerbaijan had over 10 million subscribers in total, or a 130% penetration rate.
Belarus Belarus has 12.0 million subscribers in total, or a 126% penetration rate in Q4 of 2020. The regulatory authority for telecommunication in Belarus is the Ministry of Communications and Informatization.
Belgium Belgium has 13.89 million subscribers in total, or a 124% penetration rate (Q4 2014). The regulatory authority for telecommunication in Belgium is the Belgian Institute for Postal Services and Telecommunications (BIPT).
Bosnia and Herzegovina In December 2022, Bosnia and Herzegovina had 3.811 million subscribers in total, or a 115% penetration rate. The regulatory authority for telecommunication in Bosnia and Herzegovina is the Communications Regulatory Agency (Regulatorna agencija za komunikacije, RAK).
Bulgaria Bulgaria has 7,978,611 subscribers in total, or a 123.9% penetration rate according to the CRC annual report for 2024. The regulatory authority for Telecommunication in Bulgaria is the Communications Regulation Commission (CRC).
Croatia Croatia has 4,404,652 subscribers in total, or a 102.8% penetration rate. (Q4 2019) The regulatory authority for telecommunication in Croatia is the Hrvatska agencija za poštu i elektronicke komunikacije (website available in Croatian and English language).
Cyprus Cyprus has 1,392,480 subscribers in total, or a 151.7% penetration rate (excludes Northern Cyprus) (Q4 2022). The regulatory authority for telecommunication in Cyprus (excluding Northern Cyprus) is OCECPR (Office of the Commissioner of Electronic Communications and Postal Regulation).
Czech Republic The Czech Republic has 16.121 million subscribers in total, or a 151% penetration rate (December 2019).
Denmark Denmark has 8.208 million subscribers in total, or a 146% penetration rate (Q1 2014) In 2011, Denmark liquidated IT- og Telestyrelsen, it's telecommunications regulator. Former regulator's tasks are divided among four institutions:
Økonomi- og Indenrigsministeriet Finansministeriet Forsvarsministeriet Erhvervsministeriet
Estonia Estonia has 2.524 million subscribers in total, or a 188% penetration rate (December 2008).
Faroe Islands The Faroe Islands have 61,388 subscribers, or a 126% penetration rate (population 48,652) (2020).
Finland Finland has 7.700 million subscribers in total, or a 144.59% penetration rate (December 2009).
France France has 75.5 million subscribers in total, or a 115.2% penetration rate (September 2015). The regulatory authority for telecommunication in France is ARCEP.
Georgia As of November 2024, Georgia has 5,623,128 subscribers in total. The regulatory authority for telecommunication in Georgia is the Georgian National Communications Commission.
Germany Germany has 114.1 million subscribers in total, or a 140% penetration rate (December 2011). The regulatory authority for telecommunication in Germany is the Bundesnetzagentur (BNetzA).
Gibraltar Gibraltar, the British overseas territory, has 0.028 million subscribers in total, or a 92.12% penetration rate (December 2009).
Greece In 2022, Greece had 11.326 million subscribers in total, or a 109% penetration rate. The regulatory authority for telecommunications in Greece is the Hellenic Telecommunications and Post Commission (EETT).
Guernsey The British Crown dependency Guernsey has 0.055 million subscribers in total, or a 95% penetration rate (December 2005).
Hungary Hungary has 11.8 million subscribers in total (December 2017). The regulatory authority for telecommunication in Hungary is NMHH – Nemzeti Média-, és Hírközlési Hatóság.
Iceland Iceland has 0.470 million subscribers in total, or a 129.19% penetration rate (July 2019).
Ireland As the end of March 2022 Ireland had 8.117 million mobile subscribers in total, representing a 158.4% penetration rate. If mobile broadband and M2M subscriptions are excluded, the total number of mobile subscribers was 5.414 million, representing a 105.6% penetration rate. The regulatory authority for telecommunication in Ireland is the Commission for Communications Regulation (ComReg).
Isle of Man The British Crown dependency Isle of Man has an unknown number of subscribers in total and an unknown percentage penetration rate.
Italy As of September 2025, Italy has 110.5 million active mobile SIMs in total (79.3 million human SIMs and 31.3 million M2M SIMs). The country's telecom regulator is AGCOM. In 2016 3 Italy and Wind agreed to complete a merger that was approved by European and national authorities, and since March 2020 all consumer and business offers are sold under the new brand Wind Tre. A new operator, Iliad entered the Italian market in May 2018 as a consequence of this merger. In 2024 Swisscom acquired Vodafone Italy from Vodafone Group with the aim of merging it with its subsidiary Fastweb. The subscriber figures below refer to human SIMs (excluding M2M) and are approximate, derived from AGCOM's human-SIM totals and market shares.
Jersey The British Crown dependency Jersey.
Kosovo
Latvia Latvia has 2.243 million subscribers in total, or a 99.72% penetration rate (December 2009).
Liechtenstein Liechtenstein has 0.039 million subscribers in total, or a 105% penetration rate (April 2015).
The Liechtenstein mobile phone system is attached to Switzerland, and customers of these three providers can roam on Swiss networks without additional fees.
Lithuania Lithuania has 4.49 million subscribers in total, or a 161% penetration rate (Q4 2023). Each of the three largest network operators have flanker brands – Pildyk (Tele2), Ežys (Telia) and Labas (Bitė). The regulator is Ryšių Reguliavimo Tarnyba (RRT).
Luxembourg Luxembourg has 719,000 subscribers in total, or a 148% penetration rate (December 2009).
Malta Malta has 0.702 million subscribers in total, or a 130.19% penetration rate (June 2023).
Moldova Moldova has 4.263 million subscribers in total, or a 120% penetration rate (2012). The country's telecommunications regulator is ANRCETI.
Monaco Monaco has 0.023 million subscribers on the Monaco Telecom network, or a 70.1% penetration rate (December 2009).
Montenegro Montenegro has 1,097,574 subscribers in total, or a 177.02% penetration rate (October 2013). The regulatory authority for telecommunication in Montenegro is (Agencija za elektronske komunikacije i poštansku djelatnost).
Netherlands The Netherlands has 22.12 million subscribers in total, or a 125.7% penetration rate (Q1 2023). The regulatory authorities for telecommunication in the Netherlands are the Netherlands Authority for Consumers and Markets (ACM: Autoriteit Consument & Markt) and the Dutch Authority for Digital Infrastructure (RDI: Rijksdienst Digitale Infrastructuur).
North Macedonia North Macedonia has 2.299 million subscribers in total, or a 105% penetration rate (Q3 2012). The regulatory authority for telecommunication in North Macedonia is AEC.
Norway Norway has 5.730 million subscribers in total, or a 108.97% penetration rate (December 2016). The regulatory authority for telecommunication in Norway is the Norwegian Post and Telecommunications Authority.
Poland Poland has 58.6 million subscribers in total (Q4 2020). The country's telecom regulator is UKE (Urząd Komunikacji Elektronicznej).
Portugal Portugal has 17.6 million subscribers in total, or a 170.5% penetration rate (13.1 million active subscribers or 127.4% penetration rate) (Q3 2017). The country's telecom regulator is ANACOM. Following the commercial launch of DIGI in late 2024, the market has seen a significant shift in subscriber distribution.
Romania Romania has 22.8 million active subscribers in total, or a 120% penetration rate (2025). The country's telecom regulator is ANCOM. Following the acquisition of Telekom Romania Mobile by Vodafone and Digi in October 2025, the market has consolidated into three main players.
Russia
The country's telecom regulator is Roskomnadzor (RKN).
San Marino San Marino has 0.037 million subscribers in total, or a 116.95% penetration rate (December 2013).
Serbia Serbia has 9.1987 million subscribers based on the three-month customer activity, or a 128.09% penetration rate (December 2013).
Slovakia Slovakia has 7.68 million subscribers in total, or a 132.79% penetration rate. All facts are based on the three-month customer activity base (October 2019). The regulatory authority for electronic communications "telecommunication" in Slovakia is Úrad pre reguláciu elektronických komunikácií a poštových služieb (RÚ).
Slovenia Slovenia has 2,821,125 subscribers in total, or a 132% penetration rate (Q1 2026).
Spain
Spain has 63.009 million subscribers in total, or a 128.40% penetration rate (Dic 2025). The regulatory authority for telecommunication in Spain is CNMC (Comisión Nacional de los Mercados y la Competencia). Note: The number of subscribers of each operator includes the subscribers of the main brand and the rest of its brands and subsidiaries.
Sweden
Sweden has 14.3 million subscribers in total, approximately 140% penetration rate (2020). The country's telcom regulator is Swedish Post and Telecom Authority. There are four main network operators, and they share various 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G network infrastructure through co-ownership in separate network companies. Tele2 and Telenor share network infrastructure through their company Net4Mobility. Telia and Tele2 share network infrastructure through UMTS Nät AB. Tre and Telenor share network infrastructure through 3GIS. Sweden also has a number of flanker brands and virtual operators, most notable are Halebop, Comviq, Fello, Hallon, Vimla, Mybeat, Tellusmobil and Chilimobil. Some of world's largest producers of mobile network equipment have strong ties to Sweden. Ericsson is based in Sweden while Nokia, Siemens, Huawei and ZTE have major research centers in the country, often clustered around Kista and Lund.
Switzerland Switzerland has 11.365 million mobile subscribers and a 138% penetration rate (December 2014). The country's telecom regulator is BAKOM.
Turkey
Turkey has 94.5 million subscribers in total, or a 110.7% penetration rate (Q1 2025). The telecom regulator in Turkey is Information and Communication Technologies Authority (Turkish: BTK: Bilgi Teknolojileri ve İletişim Kurumu).
Ukraine The country's telecom regulator is NKRZI (National commission for the state regulation of: electronic communications; RF spectrum; the provision of postal services, Ukrainian: НКРЗІ, Національна комісія, що здійснює державне регулювання у сферах електронних комунікацій, радіочастотного спектра та надання послуг поштового зв`язку). Due to the Russo-Ukrainian war, roaming on other operator's networks is free and includes voice calls, SMS and mobile 2G / 3G Internet at speeds up to 512 kbit/s.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom has over 95 million mobile connections in total (2026). The country's telecom regulator is Ofcom. Following the merger of Vodafone UK and Three UK in May 2025, the market is led by the joint venture VodafoneThree. CK Hutchison Holdings agreed in May 2026 to sell its whole stake in the business to Vodafone Group, subject to regulatory approval. The transaction was approved, and subsequently completed on 30 July 2026, with VodafoneThree now a wholly owned subsidiary of Vodafone Group.
See also List of mobile network operators List of mobile network operators of the Americas List of mobile network operators in Asia and Oceania List of mobile network operators in the Middle East and Africa List of telecommunications regulatory bodies Mobile network codes in ITU region 2xx (Europe)
References