Morocco’s telecommunications market expanded in the first quarter of 2026, driven by a sharp rise in data consumption and the rapid adoption of 5G and fiber-optic networks.

Industry revenue increased by 2.89 percent compared with the same period last year, after adjusting for inflation, according to the National Telecommunications Regulatory Agency (ANRT), reflecting a shift in consumer habits across the North African nation, where high-speed internet demand is offsetting a steady drop in traditional voice calls and text messaging.

Consumers ditch calls for mobile data

Mobile subscriptions grew to 57.06 million by the end of March, pushing the country’s mobile penetration rate to nearly 155 percent. Within that total, higher-value postpaid contracts rose 6.42 percent to 8.33 million customers, while prepaid lines accounted for 48.73 million.

Even with more devices connected, actual voice traffic plummeted. Outgoing mobile calls dropped by 18.79 percent year-on-year to 8.45 billion minutes, and average monthly talk time fell to 49 minutes per subscriber.

Text messaging saw a similar decline, with SMS traffic falling 9.12 percent to 340 million messages. Instead of calling, consumers spent their time online. Total internet subscriptions rose 3.05 percent to 41.08 million, led by 38.1 million mobile internet accounts.

High-speed fiber redefines Moroccan connectivity

Network upgrades helped fuel that change. Morocco counted 3.22 million 5G users by the end of March, supported by roughly 8,400 base stations that now reach 44 percent of the population. Another 33.07 million users rely on 4G networks.

This access triggered a surge in usage, with average monthly data consumption jumping 48 percent to 60 gigabytes per customer. Fixed-line broadband services also saw steady gains, hitting 4.6 million total connections when including 4G and 5G home internet routers. Excluding those wireless routers, standard fixed lines rose 5.05 percent to 3.26 million.

Fiber-optic networks were the standout performer. Fiber-to-the-home subscriptions jumped 32.68 percent over the year to nearly 1.5 million lines, with roughly 60 percent of those connections delivering speeds above 50 megabits per second. Conversely, fixed voice traffic shrank by 13.94 percent to 386 million minutes.

Moroccan corporate connectivity slumps 4.8 percent

While residential data demand flourished, corporate connectivity cooled. The ANRT reported a 4.8 percent decline in business data-link subscriptions, which fell to 36,571 connections. Local web development provided a minor bright spot for business activity.

The number of registered web domains ending in “.ma” rose 8.1 percent year-on-year to nearly 136,000, with more than 10,300 new sites created during the three-month period.

The quarter’s final numbers underscore a fundamental reality for Morocco’s major carriers: business growth now hinges almost entirely on selling faster internet and data packages, as traditional phone service continues to lose its commercial appeal.