Wireless Local Loop: WLL outpace PTCL's fixed-line teledensity

Wireless Local Loop (WLL) subscribers have been growing fast in Pakistan, while fixed-line teledensity was dwindling, according to the telecom indicators of Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA). The PTA statistics showed that WLL subscribers of all the five major operators had been adding the number of users to their network.
The WLL subscribers of Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) have increased from 1,126,585 million in July to 1,139,399 million in August, followed by Telecracd from 523,773 million to 534,809 million, WorldCall from 500,159 million to 509,606 million, Great Bear from 47,214 to 43,847 and Buraq from 388 to 400. The total number of WLL subscribers has increased from 2,224,128 in July 2008 to 2,251947 in August.
The PTA telecom indicators showed a declining trend in fixed line subscribers with going down from 4,086,206 million subscribers in 2007 to 4,546,443 million in the first two months of 2008. The PTCL fixed-line subscribers have declined from 5,128,442 million in 2006 to 4,405,161 million in August 2008. However, the subscribers of other fixed-line operators WorldCall, NTC, Brain Limited and Union Communication have increased during the current fiscal.
The fixed-line subscribers of NTC have increased from 99,665 million in 2007 to 103,059 million during the period under review of ongoing fiscal. The subscribers of Brian Limited have gone up from 6,089 in 2007 to 7,376 in the first two months of 2008. The subscribers of World Call and Union Communication have increased from 10,748 and 2500 in 2007 to 11,347 and 3,500 respectively in August 2008.
The fixed-line users of Naya Tel have increased from 11,000 in 2007 to 16,000 in 2008. The data showed that fixed-line teledensity dwindled to 2.80 in 2008. The PTA's quarterly telecom review also pointed that fixed-line teledensity in the country was on decline with the PTCL losing its fixed lines users.
The review revealed that the dropout started from 2006 when the PTCL fixed-line subscribers were 5,128,442, but declined to 4,405,161 in 2008. The telecom experts say that the fixed-line users have been declining because of increase in WLL and mobile users, besides decline in the PTCL service.