Postpaid mobile subscriptions in Oman have increased by 23%, while fixed-line subscriptions have decreased by more than 25%.

Fixed-line subscriptions have been steadily declining in the Sultanate of Oman, whereas mobile phone subscriptions—especially postpaid ones—have increased significantly.

MUSCAT : According to the latest statistics from the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), Oman saw a 23 percent increase in postpaid mobile subscriptions by the end of September 2024. The total number of postpaid subscriptions reached 2,163,883, marking a significant rise compared to the same period last year.

However, prepaid mobile subscriptions experienced a decline, with the number dropping by 6 percent, bringing the total to 5,077,026 subscriptions by the end of September 2024.

In total, mobile phone subscriptions – both postpaid and prepaid – saw a slight overall increase of 1.2 percent year-on-year. By the end of September 2024, the Sultanate recorded 7,240,909 total mobile subscriptions, compared to 7,157,302 subscriptions in September 2023.

Of the total subscriptions, 3,837,108 were from mobile operators, while 1,239,918 were from resellers, highlighting a significant share of resold subscriptions in the market.

In terms of mobile broadband, the number of active mobile internet subscriptions reached 5,821,865 by the end of September 2024. Meanwhile, fixed internet subscriptions saw a 3.5 percent increase, rising to 577,713 subscriptions from 558,874 in the same period last year. This increase reflects growing demand for both mobile and fixed broadband services in Oman.

Fixed broadband services, particularly those offering speeds over 256 kilobytes per second, reached 576,011 subscriptions, reflecting a 3.5 percent increase compared to September 2023. In contrast, low-speed internet subscriptions, which include some leased lines and telephone services, remained minimal at just 1,702 subscriptions.

The statistics also revealed a decrease in fixed-line subscriptions, which dropped by 25.1 percent to 430,585 subscriptions by the end of September 2024. The decline was especially sharp in analogue fixed-line subscriptions, which decreased by 72.6 percent to 62,749 subscriptions. In contrast, subscriptions connected to Internet Protocol (IP) technology saw a positive growth of 10.5 percent, reaching 318,149 subscriptions during the same period.

The number of subscriptions to Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) channels also decreased by 2.8 percent to 48,979, while the number of public telephones remained stable at 6,801. Fixed wireless subscriptions, however, saw a significant drop of 25.6 percent, bringing the total down to 553 subscriptions.

In terms of regional distribution, Muscat Governorate remains the largest market for fixed analogue telephone lines, accounting for 48.45 percent of all subscriptions by the end of September 2024. Dhofar Governorate followed with 10.55 percent, while North Al Batinah Governorate held 10.85 percent. The remaining governorates collectively made up 30.15 percent of the total.

For all the latest news from Oman and GCC, follow us on Instagram, like us on Facebook & subscribe to our YouTube Channel, which is updated daily.