Growth in mobile phone sector

Dharma SRI ABEYRATNE

The mobile phone sector has registered a 25.9 percent growth in 2009 in comparison to the previous year's figures according to a Central Bank report. The report also states that the customer base of fixed line telephone connections and CDMA connections has also increased by 19.6 percent marking a significant development in the sector.

As a whole per capita usage of telephones including cell phones, fixed line and CDMA has increased to 85 percent in 2009. In 2008 that ratio was 72 percent.

However, the entire Post and Telecommunications sector has registered a 22.3 percent growth rate in 2008. In 2009 the growth rate was 11.7 percent. The Post and Telecommunications Ministry is to maintain the prevailing growth rate during the coming years since it is vital for the overall development of the country, Post and Telecommunications Minister Jeevan Kumaratunga said.