Singapore-based Asian mobile operator SingTel's aggregate number of mobile subscribers in Asia-Pacific has exceeded 70 million. On 30 June, SingTel’s regional mobile subscriber base had 71.14 million customers. This represents an increase of 6.3 million customers from the previous quarter. For the first time, this quarter takes into account a new mobile associate - Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Limited (PBTL). SingTel acquired a 45 percent equity stake in the company in June 2005. PBTL had approximately 318,000 mobile customers as at 30 June 2005. The combined mobile subscriber base of SingTel, SingTel Optus and the Group’s five regional associates grew 36 per cent from about 52 million a year ago.
On a proportionate basis, SingTel’s subscriber base in the seven markets – Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand – increased 35 percent from a year ago to about 28 million. On a year-on-year basis, SingTel’s four Asian mobile associates – Advanced Info Service, Bharti, Globe and Telkomsel – all posted strong subscriber growth, ranging from 10 to 74 percent. The four mobile operators’ combined subscriber base grew 40 per cent to about 63.2 million. SingTel Optus had 6.026 million mobile customers as at 30 June, an addition of 105,000 customers during the quarter despite keen competition in the Australian mobile market. SingTel had 1.55 million customers in Singapore, a decline of 13,000 users from the previous quarter.
