The Mobile Internet Market in Poland 2026: Data Quality and Monetization Trumph SIM Card Count

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The Mobile Internet Market in Poland 2026: Data Quality and Monetization Trumph SIM Card Count

The Polish mobile internet market has reached a high level of maturity. The potential for further growth in the user base is increasingly limited due to high service saturation and unfavorable demographic trends. As a result, the focus is gradually shifting from acquiring new customers to increasing data consumption and effectively monetizing it. According to our latest report, “The Mobile Internet and Value-Added Services Market in Poland,” the key challenge for operators is translating growing network traffic into market value growth.

The phone takes the lead; dedicated cards are the fallback option

The market structure is clearly shifting in favor of access used directly on smartphones. In 2025, internet access via smartphones already accounted for 78% of all mobile internet access (up from 74% in 2023), while the share of dedicated SIM cards fell to 22%. Mobile access has become a standard feature of rate plans, and research by PMR Market Experts by Hume’s shows that 88% of smartphone users in Poland already use it.

The increasing data allowances on smartphones and the expansion of fixed fiber-optic infrastructure (FTTx) are reducing the need for a separate data SIM card. However, dedicated SIM cards still play an important role in fixed-line Internet access—they account for one-quarter of connections in this segment, serving as an alternative for households without wired connections.

Network Quality: A New Competitive Advantage

All infrastructure providers now offer plans with unlimited or very large data allowances, which means that the number of gigabytes alone is no longer the main distinguishing feature of a plan. As data limits become less important, the nature of competition is changing.

– In a highly saturated market, the sheer size of a data plan is no longer enough to build a competitive advantage. Quality metrics are playing an increasingly important role: connection stability, coverage, low latency, and the ability to maintain high bandwidth. The growing share of 5G-enabled devices not only drives data consumption but also creates an opportunity for operators to migrate customers to higher-tier plans as part of a “more for more” strategy.

Jagoda Sitek

Market Data Analyst

Network traffic will double by 2031

Despite the market’s maturity in terms of the number of users, demand for data transmission alone is growing rapidly. In 2025, mobile network traffic increased by 16%, and average monthly usage reached 19 GB per active SIM card. The main drivers of this growth are the expansion of 5G networks, video consumption, social media, gaming, and cloud services.

Strong volume performance translates into financial results—in 2025, mobile internet revenue increased by 6%, driven by price adjustments and customers switching to plans with higher ARPU.

PMR Forecasts by PMR Market Experts by Hume’s indicate that by 2031, mobile network traffic will reach 28 billion GB, which represents nearly a twofold increase compared to 2025. During the same period, the market value will increase by nearly 3 billion PLN.

– The outlook for meaningful market growth remains positive, but the rules of the game have changed. The key challenge for operators in the coming years will not be simply generating more traffic, but effectively monetizing it by selling higher-value services with superior quality. It is precisely network quality and user experience that will determine providers’ market position.

Jagoda Sitek

Market Data Analyst

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