Cellular subscribers rose 6.3 million in fiscal year 2008-09 as compared to 25 million net additions in 2007-08, suggesting that the saturation in the market, economic slowdown and heavy taxes could be major reasons for the slow growth, annual report of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) showed.
Regarding complaints received by the PTA from consumers of cellular operators during July 2008 to June 2009, total complaints stood at 7,479 out of which 45 per cent complaints were related to misuse of service, obnoxious and fraudulent calls or SMS.
Amazingly, the PTA report states that only nine per cent complaints were related to quality of service (disruption/faults in service). However, consumer complaints regarding PTCL showed that out of total 5,288 complaints, 73 per cent were about quality of service, disruption/faults in service in 2008-09. On the issue of market share in terms of subscriber base of mobile phones, the report states that the main contributor to the net increase was Telenor, which added about 2.8 million subscribers while Zong and Warid added 2.4 million each during last year.
Having more choice available to consumers resulted in a reduction in the share of Mobilink by 15 per cent while other operators show increase in their market share.
Although Mobilink is still enjoying major market share in cellular subscribers, it receives a setback by losing around three million subscribers in 2008-09.
During the reported period, Mobilink continued to stay at top in the country’s mobile market with 29.14 million subscribers, followed by Telenor and Ufone competing fiercely for the second position with 20.9 million and 20 million subscribers respectively. Both the companies registered a subscriber growth rate at 16 per cent (Telenor) and 11 per cent (Ufone) correspondingly; however the growth in subscribers of Telenor (69pc) in the preceding year was much higher than that of Ufone (29pc).
Warid ended this year with a total subscriber base of 17.8 million. However, Zong has been reported a subscriber base of 6.4 million.
In 2009, total number of Mobilink subscribers stood at 29.136 million, Ufone 20.004 million, Zong 6.386 million, Instaphone 34,048, Telenor 20.893 million and Warid 17.886 million. Total revenues of telecom service rose to Rs333.882 billion in 2008-09 against Rs278.508 billion in the last fiscal year 2007-08.
Out of total revenues, the share of cellular operators in revenues stood at Rs212.423 billion, Local Loop Rs62.640 billion, LDI Rs47.969 billion, Wireless Local Loop (WLL) Rs2.670 billion and VAS (estimated) Rs8.179 billion during the fiscal year 2008-09.
Source : The News
