In November 2006, information society subscriptions fell, with the exception of internet subscriptions, the National Statistics Office reported yesterday.

The internet subscription index rose by 0.1 per cent as at the end of November 2006.

Narrowband and broadband subscriptions were recorded at 58,438 and 36,696 respectively.

In the month under review, the cable and digital television subscription index fell by 0.1 per cent, reflecting a fall in cable analogue and an increase in digital technology use. In absolute terms, these subscriptions totalled 112,115.

In the month under review, a minimal change was recorded in the mobile subscription index, as the number of mobile telephone subscriptions reached 344,210. Around 15.2 million minutes were consumed by mobile telephone networks, while those directed from mobile to fixed-line networks amounted to around two million.

In November 2006, mobile communication traffic included 36.7 million SMSs, 49,865 MMSs and 9,707 WAPs.

The number of fixed telephone subscriptions fell by 0.2 per cent over the previous month. Minutes consumed in fixed-line telephony on local calls amounted to around 48.1 million, with some 32.7 million minutes from residential subscriptions and the rest from business premises subscriptions. International fixed-telephony traffic comprised 179,688 calls, equivalent to around 0.5 million minutes.

In the month under review VOIP minutes were estimated at around 0.9 million and in absolute terms, pager subscriptions stood at 4,772 as at the end of November 2006.