Telecom Operators add 3.94 Million Mobile Broadband Subscribers in Jul-Oct

Telecom operators added more than 3.94 million subscribers of mobile broadband during the period of July to October mainly on the increasing demand of internet utility in different parts of the country.

According to statistics of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), the number of mobile broadband internet users increased to 60.2 million till October-end from the subscribers’ base of 56.08 million, which stood at the start of the financial year since July.

Among the overall addition of 3.94 million, Ufone has added the highest number of mobile broadband users, which stood at 1.47 million. It subscribers base of 3G users reached 8.1 million—an all-time high mark so far since the introduction of broadband internet service.

It is interesting to mention here that Ufone is the only operator in the country with 3G services whilst the rest of three operators offer 3G and 4G services in separate part of the country. Industry analysts said the mobile companies with speedy and uninterrupted broadband internet services have succeeded to grab maximum share in the overall addition of subscribers in the telecom sector.

They were of the view that growth of internet users depend upon the expansion of the network and the performance of the network’s technology besides the competitiveness of packages cost offered by different operators.

As per PTA data, Jazz added 1.32 million mobile internet subscribers during the period of July to October. Its total subscribers’ base of 3G and 4G services stood at 20.5 million. Jazz was followed by Zong with an increase of 1.04 million subscribers’ in to the base of mobile internet standing at 17.66 million. Telenor added 93,528 mobile broadband users during the period under review. Its base stood at 13.72 million by October.

It is worthwhile mentioning here that the growth of mobile broadband users outpaced the number of users using cellular phone services (2.5G/ GSM).

During the period of July to October, the number of cellular phone using GSM or 2.5G services surged by 1.92 million. Its base increased to 152.16 million till October.

Zong added 0.817 million subscribers during the period in its base of 31.7 million. It is followed by Ufone, which grew its users to 21.1 million with the addition of 0.79 million new users so far in the current financial year.

Jazz added 0.708 million users in its base of 56.17 million cellular phone users and Telenor recorded a negative 0.404 million subscribers in its base and it now stands at 43.159 million at end of October.

The addition of broadband internet is as twice as the increase of cellular phone users throughout the country.