Mobile phone market still growing

The number of mobile telephone subscriptions went up by 10 per cent in a year, despite an already saturated market.

At the end of 2009, the figure stood at 422,083, a penetration rate of 102.1 per cent, up from 93.2 per cent at the end of 2008, the Malta Communications Authority said.

In the last six months of 2009, some 127.5 million calls were made, totalling 161.7 million minutes. This was 34.2 million minutes more than in the last six months of 2008.

A total of 266.1 million text messages were sent in the second half of last year.

Vodafone had the biggest share of mobile phone subscriptions with 49.6 per cent. Go had 43.2 per cent market share and the newer Melita mobile phone service ate into Go and Vodafone's market, taking 5.6 per cent. Labour Party's Redtouchfone accounted for the remaining 1.7 per cent.