Bandar Seri Begawan - Brunei is experiencing a rise in the number of mobile phone subscribers, mobile penetration, fixed-line subscribers, fixed-line penetration and Internet users, while the Internet penetration remained flat, latest ICT indicators from the Authority for Info-Communications Technology Industry (AITI) revealed.

The latest figures reveal that, to date, there are 449,260 mobile subscribers, up from 443,161 at the end of 2011. The total comprises 382,286 prepaid users and 66,974 postpaid subscribers.

When compared to the population last year, which stood at 422.700 people, this means that each person owns a handphone in the country. In fact, the mobile subscription levels soared to 33 per cent in 2012 compared to 2006. The mobile penetration went up to 106.28 per cent, up from 104.84 per cent in 2011. The number of fixed-line subscribers went up to 80,039 from 79,839, ending a trend of falling subscriber numbers in 2010 and 2011 and bringing the number back to near 2009 levels.

Fixed-line penetration inched up to 18.94 per cent from 18.89 per cent. The country also counted 53,273 Internet users in 2012, up from 52,403 Internet users in the previous year, and Internet penetration was flat at 12.60 per cent. The total includes 21,492 fixed-line broadband subscribers, 4,161 dial-up users, and 27,620 mobile Internet users.

--Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin