Higher mobile phone subscriptions, fewer SMSs being sent

The absolute number of mobile telephone subscriptions reached 388,284 in the first quarter this year, a penetration of 93.8 percent from 90.3 percent in the same period last year, the National Statistics Office.

Subscriptions to post-paid schemes were recorded at 68,754, while pre-paid schemes subscriptions stood at 319,530.

Both local originating mobile traffic and inbound roaming traffic experienced an increase compared to the corresponding period in 2008. On the other hand a decrease was registered in the number of SMSs and MMSs sent.

The fixed-telephone subscription index increased by 6.9 percent from 111.1 in the first quarter last year to 118.8 in the comparable quarter this year.

Total fixed originating minutes to the national network amounted to around 153 million. Around 16 million were consumed towards an international network.

The internet subscription index rose by 10.9 per cent from 129.3 as at the end of March last year to 143.4 as at the end of March this year. Out of every 100 people in the population, 25.4 had an internet subscription.

While the number of active narrowband (dial-up) subscriptions dropped by 61 percent over the corresponding quarter last year, the number of broadband users increased by 14 percent when compared to the first quarter of 2008.

The pay television subscriptions index increased by 11 percent. Cable and digital television subscriptions were recorded at 95.5 percent of households as at the end of March.

Digital subscriptions amounted to 63 percent of the overall subscriptions.

Total postal traffic for the first quarter this year amounted to around 10.4 million items, of which the absolute bulk represented letters and other printed items. Courier traffic totalled 67,620 items, of which 50.3 percent were letters or documents, and the rest parcels.