Mobile technology growing in Pakistan: WB: Pakistan Observer

Islamabad—In recent times, there has been a rapid increase in the use of new technologies to increase access to financial services in many countries including Pakistan, reports World Bank in its annual book let said.

According to Express tv report, that this has included the widespread use of smart cards and of mobile telephone network. In Pakistan, mobile phone penetration has increased at a rapid pace recently.

Half of Pakistanis including women have access to a cell phone together with rural areas (two-thirds in urban areas) while more than 86 percent of men have their own cell phone, 40 percent of women do.

These figures suggest a much higher access to cell pone (available in the household or within the extended family) than the figures for regular usage.

Balochistan is the least served (still, a third of the population have access to mobile phones). According to survey, cell phone usage in 35-4 percent in Sindh about 44 percent in NWFP and Azad Jammu and Kashmir and highest in Punjab at 51.5 percent.

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Mobile phone techonology fast growing in Pakistan: WB: Nation

By: Saadia Qamar | Published: May 27, 2009

KARACHI - In recent times, there has been a rapid increase in the use of new technologies to increase access to financial services in many countries including Pakistan, reports World Bank in its annual booklet, “Bringing Finance to Pakistan’s Poor.”
The report states that this has included the widespread use of smart cards and of mobile telephone networks. In Pakistan, mobile phone penetration has increased at a rapid pace recently. Half of Pakistanis including women have access to a cell phone together with rural areas (two-thirds in urban areas.)
While more than 86 percent of men have their own cell phone, 40 percent of women do. These figures suggest a much higher access to cell phones (available in the household or within the extended family) than the figures for regular usage.

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Pakistan’s mobile subscriber base totals 91Mn at February’09-end: Wireless Federation

The Pakistan mobile subscriber base has raised to 91.008 million in February 2009, growing from 90.703 million in January, reports PTA. Mobile density in Pakistan hiked to 56.50%, up from 56.30% in January.

Mobilink, the market leader, saw a drop in mobile subscriber base which fell from 28.315 million to 28.116 million whereas Telenor jumped to the second position with a subscriber base of 19.842 million, up from 19.657 million in January.

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Cellphone market touching saturation level: Dawn

By Imran Ayub
KARACHI, Oct 30: The cellular subscriber base in the country witnessed a slow growth in the second quarter, which stood at 2.4 per cent by September 2008, as experts see mobile phone consumers’ market touching the saturation level.

Though the cellular subscriber base crossed 90 million mark by the end of September 2008, figurers compiled by the telecom regulators and cellular companies suggest that the sales of new connections are on the decline for the last few months compared with previous years, as rising inflation has also seriously affected the purchasing power of consumers.

“As we go through figures, total new connections added in August stood at 238,000 while in September they were recorded at 640,000,” said a telecom industry source, citing fresh data.

August and September are the two lowest registered sale months of new connections since monthly reporting began in 2005 by the companies and naturally it directly depends on people’s needs and their strength to acquire that. “We have witnessed both on the decline for the last few months,” said the source.

Blocking of unregistered SIMs (subscriber identity modules) by all cellular companies in line with the directives of the Pakistan Telecom Authorities (PTA) following recommendations of the law enforcement agencies, also resulted in recent decline to some extent, observed the source.

A phenomenal jump in the number of cellphone subscribers has been witnessed since 2004, when two foreign cellular service providers launched their operations in the country.

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Cell phone connections zoom to 88 million in Pakistan: FreshNews

Islamabad, July 22 (IANS) From just 300,000 eight years ago, the number of mobile phone connections in Pakistan has grown to 88 million in 2008 covering over half of the population, thanks to cheap rates and lucrative offers by service providers.

According to a report of the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA), mobile phone density increased from just 0.22 percent in 2000 to 54.7 percent by June 30, 2008. The six mobile phone companies in the country have sold 88,019,812 connections till now this year as compared to 306,493 by four companies in 2000. Pakistan has a population of 165 million.

However, sales executives of mobile companies say the figure of 88 million may not be accurate as many consumers keep switching from one service provider to the other without getting their previous connection cancelled.

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