Muscat – The telecommunications sector in Oman has experienced significant changes over the past year, with a marked increase in postpaid mobile phone subscriptions and a steady rise in internet usage, according to the latest data from the National Centre for Statistics and Information.

As of the end of September 2024, postpaid mobile subscriptions in Oman rose by 23 per cent compared to the same period last year, reaching a total of 2,163,883 subscriptions. Meanwhile, prepaid mobile subscriptions declined by 6 per cent, bringing the total down to 5,077,026. Despite the drop in prepaid users, the overall number of mobile phone subscriptions, including both prepaid and postpaid, grew by 1.2 per cent, amounting to 7,240,909.

Among these mobile subscriptions, a total of 3,837,108 were issued by mobile operators, while 1,239,918 were from resale channels. Broadband internet usage also saw growth, with active mobile broadband subscriptions reaching 5,821,865 by the end of September. Fixed internet subscriptions showed a 3.5 per cent increase compared to September 2023, reaching 577,713 in total.

Fixed broadband connections—those exceeding speeds of 256 kilobytes per second—rose by 3.5 per cent, amounting to 576,011 subscriptions. However, low-speed internet subscriptions, including telephone-based and some leased lines, remained low, with just 1,702 subscriptions.

The statistics further revealed a decline in traditional fixed-line services. Fixed-line subscriptions dropped by 25.1 per cent, leaving a total of 430,585 by the end of September. Analogue fixed-line services, including prepaid and postpaid lines, saw an even sharper decrease, falling by 72.6 per cent to 62,749 subscriptions. In contrast, the number of fixed lines connected to Internet Protocol (IP) technology increased by 10.5 per cent to reach 318,149.

The number of subscriptions to the Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) channels also saw a reduction of 2.8 per cent, reaching 48,979, while public telephone numbers remained unchanged at 6,801. Fixed wireless subscriptions, however, decreased by 25.6 per cent to 553.

Across Oman’s governorates, Muscat held the highest share of fixed analogue telephone lines at 48.45 per cent, followed by Dhofar at 10.55 per cent, and North Batinah at 10.85 per cent. The remaining governorates accounted for the final 30.15 per cent.

This latest data highlights the evolving dynamics of telecommunications in Oman, as residents shift towards postpaid and high-speed broadband services, while the demand for traditional fixed-line connections continues to wane.

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Nisha Joshi