TELECOMS SUBSCRIPTION FALLS IN DECEMBER 2016

Mobile phone subscription dropped by 386,586 from November to December last year as operators maintained their positions in market shares in the fourth quarter of the year.

According to latest Tanzania Communications Regulatory Authority (TCRA) statistics subscription numbers dropped from 40,560,368 in November to 40,173,783 in December, snapping a rising trend from July figures of 39,633,663.

Vodacom maintained their lead position as an operator with the largest customer base commanding a market share of 31 per cent at the end of the fourth quarter in December which remained unchanged from the third quarter which ended in September.

It gained 64,951 more subscribers raising their number from 12,354,474 in September to 12,419,425 in December. Tigo kept the second position in the market in the fourth quarter but its customer base shrunk from 30 per cent at the end of third quarter last year to 29 per cent at the end of fourth quarter.

Tigo customers dropped by 328,522 from 12,005,866 in September to 11,677,344 in December. Airtel held the third position with a market share of 26 per cent at the end of fourth quarter in December, unchanged from the previous quarter which ended in September.

However its customer base shrunk by 49,853 from 10,505,970 in September to 10,456,117 in December. Smart gained the most after increasing its customer base from 1.0 per cent at the end of third quarter 2.0 per cent at the end of fourth quarter.

Their subscription number increased by 181,897 from 621,354 in September to 803,251 in December. Halotel, Zantel and TTCL maintained their market shares of 8.0 per cent, three per cent and 1.0 per cent respectively.

Daily News