By Fred SARPONG
A new report from the National Communications Authority (NCA) indicates that as at the end of December 2010, more than 17.34 million Ghanaians owned mobile phones in the country.
According to NCA, the five mobile telecom operators in the country contributed a total of 17,436,949 lines at the end of December, 2010. The contributing companies are Mobile Telecommunication Network (MTN), Tigo, Vodafone, Airtel and Expresso.
In actual fact though, the number of Ghanaians using mobile phones is considerably less since many people own more than one line
The report shows that all the networks were able to increase their subscription bases for the 12 months period of 2010. Mobile access lines increased from 16,031,979 in January 2010 to 17,436,949 at the end of December 2010. This represents a rise of about 8.76% with an increase of 1,404,970 subscribers.
Concerning market share for the period of ending December 2010, MTN remains the leader with a share of 49.23% with 8,721,249 mobile lines.
This is followed by Tigo and Vodafone with 22.58% (3,999,262 mobile lines) and 15.37% (2,722,364 lines) as at the end of December respectively. Airtel had a market share of 9.90% representing 1,754,269 subscribers, while Espresso also pulls together 239,825 lines, representing 1.35% market share.
BusinessWeek learnt that total penetration of telephone access lines stands at 75.4%. This is made up 74.2% and 1.2% fixed lines penetration.
As at the end of 12 months of 2010, the number of fixed lines in the country was 277,897 access lines, representing 1.6% of the total market share of 17,714,846 total access lines, while mobile lines account for a dominant lead with 98.4% market share. Fixed lines continued to decline, dropping by 33,921 lines from November figures of 311,818 lines to 277,897 in December 2010.
Vodafone remains the major fixed line operator with huge market share of 96.1% with 267,033 lines. Airtel has just a few of subscribers fixed line of 10,884 representing 3.9%.
In terms of percentage growth from January 2010 to December 2010, MTN mobile lines went up by 6.32% from 8,202,829 to 8,721,249 as at the end of December 2010. Tigo had percentage growth of 15.26% by growing from 3,469,662 from January 2010 to 3,999,262 as at the end of December, last year.
Within the period, Vodafone’s subscriber base went down by 2.56% from a figure of 2,793,986 in January 2010 to 2,722,364 in December, last year. The lines of Expresso, the only CDMA network operator, also decreased during the period, recording negative percentage growth of 3.53% from a figure of 248,604 at the end of January 2010 to 239,815 by December, last year.
Percentage growth for fixed lines in the country went up by 4.53%, from 265,856 at the end of January 2010 to 277,897 at the end of December, last year. This is because the two major fixed line operators, Vodafone and Airtel, are deploying different avenues to increase their lines. Vodafone fixed lines dropped from 283,671 at the end of January 2010 to 267,033, representing negative growth of 5.86%. Airtel on other hand increased from 2,185 lines to 10,864 lines in December 2010, representing 397.21% growth.
The year 2011 will be exciting year for the industry players as for the first in the history of this country Mobile Number Portability (MNP) is expected to be introduced.
A new report from the National Communications Authority (NCA) indicates that as at the end of December 2010, more than 17.34 million Ghanaians owned mobile phones in the country.
According to NCA, the five mobile telecom operators in the country contributed a total of 17,436,949 lines at the end of December, 2010. The contributing companies are Mobile Telecommunication Network (MTN), Tigo, Vodafone, Airtel and Expresso.
In actual fact though, the number of Ghanaians using mobile phones is considerably less since many people own more than one line
The report shows that all the networks were able to increase their subscription bases for the 12 months period of 2010. Mobile access lines increased from 16,031,979 in January 2010 to 17,436,949 at the end of December 2010. This represents a rise of about 8.76% with an increase of 1,404,970 subscribers.
Concerning market share for the period of ending December 2010, MTN remains the leader with a share of 49.23% with 8,721,249 mobile lines.
This is followed by Tigo and Vodafone with 22.58% (3,999,262 mobile lines) and 15.37% (2,722,364 lines) as at the end of December respectively. Airtel had a market share of 9.90% representing 1,754,269 subscribers, while Espresso also pulls together 239,825 lines, representing 1.35% market share.
BusinessWeek learnt that total penetration of telephone access lines stands at 75.4%. This is made up 74.2% and 1.2% fixed lines penetration.
As at the end of 12 months of 2010, the number of fixed lines in the country was 277,897 access lines, representing 1.6% of the total market share of 17,714,846 total access lines, while mobile lines account for a dominant lead with 98.4% market share. Fixed lines continued to decline, dropping by 33,921 lines from November figures of 311,818 lines to 277,897 in December 2010.
Vodafone remains the major fixed line operator with huge market share of 96.1% with 267,033 lines. Airtel has just a few of subscribers fixed line of 10,884 representing 3.9%.
In terms of percentage growth from January 2010 to December 2010, MTN mobile lines went up by 6.32% from 8,202,829 to 8,721,249 as at the end of December 2010. Tigo had percentage growth of 15.26% by growing from 3,469,662 from January 2010 to 3,999,262 as at the end of December, last year.
Within the period, Vodafone’s subscriber base went down by 2.56% from a figure of 2,793,986 in January 2010 to 2,722,364 in December, last year. The lines of Expresso, the only CDMA network operator, also decreased during the period, recording negative percentage growth of 3.53% from a figure of 248,604 at the end of January 2010 to 239,815 by December, last year.
Percentage growth for fixed lines in the country went up by 4.53%, from 265,856 at the end of January 2010 to 277,897 at the end of December, last year. This is because the two major fixed line operators, Vodafone and Airtel, are deploying different avenues to increase their lines. Vodafone fixed lines dropped from 283,671 at the end of January 2010 to 267,033, representing negative growth of 5.86%. Airtel on other hand increased from 2,185 lines to 10,864 lines in December 2010, representing 397.21% growth.
The year 2011 will be exciting year for the industry players as for the first in the history of this country Mobile Number Portability (MNP) is expected to be introduced.
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