As at the end of December 2007, subscriptions to all forms of communication technology increased. Postal traffic totalled 14.3 million items, the National Statistics Office reported yesterday.

Telecommunications

As at the end of December 2007 the absolute number of mobile telephone subscriptions reached 371,178, which roughly translates into 91.0 per cent of the population. Contract-based mobile telephone subscriptions were recorded at 37,113, while card-plan subscriptions reached 334,065.

The fixed-telephone subscription index increased by 8.3 per cent from 104.1 in quarter four 2006 to 112.7 in the comparable quarter last year. Minutes used in fixed-line telephony amounted to around 195 million, while international fixed-telephony traffic comprised 550,941 calls, equivalent to around 1.7 million minutes.

VOIP minutes were estimated at around 5.0 million in the quarter under review.

Internet, Cable and Digital Subscriptions

The internet subscription index rose by 5.0 per cent from 303.2 as at the end of December 2006 to 318.5 as at the end of the corresponding period in 2007. The rate of internet subscriptions per 100 persons of the population reached 24.5.

The cable and digital subscriptions index also increased by 6.1 per cent. Cable and digital television subscriptions were recorded at 29.3 per 100 persons of the population as at the end of December 2007.

Post and Couriers

Total postal traffic for the fourth quarter of 2007 amounted to around 14.3 million items of which the absolute bulk represented letters and other printed items. During the same reference period, courier traffic totalled 65,447 items, of which 50 per cent were letters or documents, and the rest parcels.