Mobile voice penetration reaches 127%, data crosses 65%
At the end of December 2015, the
total number of mobile voice subscribers had increased from 34,400,153 in
November 2015 to 35,008,387, representing a mobile voice penetration rate of
127.63%.
For the same period, the total
number of mobile data subscribers also increased from 17,728,312 to 18,031,188,
representing a total penetration rate of 65.74% of Ghana’s estimated population
of 27.43million.
These were contained in the National
Communication Authority's mobile voice and mobile data market share trends for
the month of December 2015.
The mobile voice report showed that
all five GSM/3G operators recorded increases in active voice subscriptions,
while on the data side four saw increases in subscription, but one, Glo, had a
dip in data subs over the period.
On the voice and data sides, the
sole CDMA operator, Expresso lost subscribers as it has been doing for more
than a year now.
MTN
Market leader keep stretching its
lead crossing from 15,950,876 in November 2015 to 16,254,984 subs in December
2015, representing some 1.91% increase, which took MTN’s total market share to
46.43%.
MTN also grew its data subscription
by 1.85% to 8,634,914 over the period under review, and now commands a mobile
data market share of 47.89%.
This year MTN will roll out 4G LTE
network and that promises to boost its subscriber base further as more
Ghanaians develop taste for better data service and experience.
Vodafone
Vodafone’s mobile voice subscribers
increased marginally from 7,526,704 to 7,612,059 at the end of December 2015.
This represents a percentage increase of 1.13%. Vodafone’s total market share
for December 2015 was 21.74%.
On the data side, Vodafone increased
subscribers by some 2.43% from 3,237,643 to 3,316,343 between November end of
December 2015, taking its data market share to 18.39%.
Tigo
Tigo’s voice subscribers increased
from 4,786,094 as at November 2015 to 4,850,034 as at the end of December 2015.
This represents a percentage increase of 1.34%. Their market share for the
month under review was 13.85%.
In terms of mobile data, Tigo grew
subscribers from 2,692,510 at the end of November to 2,732,863 as at the end of
December 2015. This represents an increase of 1.50%. Their total data market
share therefore stood at 15.16%.
Airtel
Airtel’s also recorded an increase
in voice subscribers from 4,684,429 at the end of November 2015 to 4,796,645 as
of December 2015 ending, representing a 2.40%, bringing its total market
share to 13.70%.
Airtel’s data subscribers increased
by 2% from the previous month, as reflected in their total mobile data figure
of 2,879,431 subscribers at the end of December 2015. Airtel’s market share for
the month of December was 15.97%.
Glo
Glo has been struggling for a while
now but managed to grow voice subscribers by 3.36% from 1,324,833 at the end of
November 2015 to 1,369,402 as at the end of December 2015, but its market share
dipped to 3.91%.
Its data subscriber base also fell
by as much as 6.53% from 448,762 in November to finish December 2015 with
419,459 data subs. In effect, Glo's data market share stood at a meager 2.33%.
Glo's challenges has mainly been due
to the closure of some customer service shops and decommissioning for masts in
parts of the country. But the company recently changed its Head of Business for
the fifth time and has dropped hints of recapitalization.
Expresso
Expresso’s voice subscriber figures
decreased from 127,217 at the end of November 2015 to 125,263 as at the end of
December 2015. This represents a percentage decrease of 1.54%. Their total
market share for the month under review was 0.36%.
Its data subscriber figures for the
month of December were 48,178. This represents a percentage decrease of 1% from
November’s subscriber base of 48,567. Their market share for the month under
review was 0.27%.
Expresso is still at the cross roads
as staff are not even sure if the Sudanese running the company has sold it to
another buyer yet.
Reliable sources within the company
told this writer that the caretaker Managing Director of the company recently
told the staff he had overstayed his welcome in the company because he was
appointed to do a specific job and that job is done.
But the mother company Sudatel
reported that as of first quarter of 2015 it owned 82% of the Ghana operations.
It is still not clear who it has offloaded the remaining 18% shares to.
There is however no record of the
current shareholding structure between March 31, 2015 and now.
Source: Samuel Dowuona | Adom News
