Sri Lanka Mobile & Wireline Users Grew by 24pct in Q3 2010

29th November 2010, www.lbo.lk

Sri Lanka's mobile subscribers grew 24.3 percent in the third quarter of 2010 from a year earlier, while fixed access sector grew at a much slower 3.4 percent, official data show. During the past 12 months 3.2 million mobile users have been added according to data released by the Central Bank bringing the total to 16.62 million.

Sri Lanka only has a population of 20 million people, but with five operators competing in the market some people now own multiple subscriber indentify modules (SIM).

By owning multiple SIMs, cost conscious subscribers can get the benefits of different packages.

The government recently said it will limit SIM ownership to five per person, though the exact logic behind the move is not clear.

Wireline users grew by 19,917 to 889,077 in the third quarter, from a year earlier.

Internet and wireless subscribers grew by a steep 50 percent to 360,000 adding 120,000 new subscribers.

Sri Lanka Telecom, the island's only wireline operator said said earlier its broadband users topped 200,000 in the third quarter.

Fixed wireless users grew 3.8 percent (98,177) to 2.65 million.

Related Info:
Sri Lanka Mobile Users Grow by 25.4pct to 15.86mn While Wireline Use Go Down

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Sri Lanka Mobile Use Grows 30pct in 1st Quarter

15th July 2010, www.lankabusinessonline.com

Sri Lanka's mobile phone subscribers grew 30 percent to 15.0 million in the first quarter of 2010, while fixed wireless users grew 4.7 percent and wireline users were flat, official data show.

Fixed wireless subscribers grew to 2.58 million users in the first quarter from 2.47 users a year earlier, while wireline subscribers fell 555 to 875,509 telecom data released by the central bank showed.

But wireline users increased from a December quarter low of 871,248 ending a contraction in the category. Wireline is sold only by Sri Lanka Telecom, which is jointly owned by Sri Lanka's government and Malaysia's UT group.

In Sri Lanka wireless access is sold mainly using CDMA technology by Sri Lanka Telecom, Lanka Bell, Suntel and a fixed access unit of the cellc Dialog Axiata.

During 2009 wireline users fell by 17,731, while fixed wireless users only grew by 2,128.

From this week Sri Lanka's telecom regulator has put floor prices of 2.0 rupees a minute for mobile calls and 50 cents for interconnection between networks.
Internet and email subscribers have grown 6.8 percent (16,000) to 250,000 in the first quarter from a year earlier.