According to the figures, voice subscriber numbers increased from 37,239,720 as at the end of September to 37,369,666 as at the end of October 2016.

The regulator, the leap, though slightly, represented a percentage increase of 0.35 per cent.

“The total penetration rate for the month under review was 133.55 per cent,” it said.

The figures showed that, two out the five mobile network operators (MNOs), namely MTN and Vodafone recorded growth, while the rest, comprising Tigo, Airtel, Glo and Expresso, recorded decrease in subscriptions.

Growth

MTN’s voice subscriptions for the period, according to the NCA, was 18,280,956, representing a percentage increase of 1.28 per cent from September 2016’s figure of 18,050,144.

With these figures, MTN maintains its market dominance with a market share as of the end of the month under review with 48.92 per cent.

On the other hand, Vodafone recorded mobile voice subscriptions of 8,170,504 as at the end of October 2016, representing a percentage increase of 0.15 per cent from September 2016’s figure of 8, 158, 527.

Consequently, Vodafone, the country’s number two operator, saw its market share for October 2016 reaching 21.86 per cent.

Decline

Tigo, the third biggest MNO in the country, recorded a decrease in their mobile voice subscriptions as figures reduced from 5,402,668 as at the end of September 2016 to 5,362,642 as at the end of October 2016.

This, the NCA said, indicated a percentage decrease of 0.74 per cent, while their market share for the month under review was 14.35 per cent.

At the end of October 2016, Airtel’s voice subscriptions decreased from 4,697,653 as at the end of September 2016 to 4,686,625.

“This represents a percentage decrease of 0.23 per cent, while their total market share for the month under review was 12.54 per cent,” the Authority said.

In the case of Glo, its voice subscriptions decreased from 828,162 as at the end of September 2016 to 769,450 at the end of October 2016.

This reflected a percentage decrease of 7.09 per cent for the month, making their total market share for the month under review hit 2.06 per cent.

For Expresso, it recorded a decrease in their mobile voice subscriptions as figures decreased from 102,566 as at the end of September 2016 to 99,489 as at the end of October 2016.

“It represents a percentage decrease of 3.00 per cent, while their total market share for the month under review was 0.27 per cent,” the NCA said.

Fixed Telephony

Only two operators continue to provide fixed line services to the public in Ghana. These operators are Vodafone and Airtel.

As at October 2016, the total subscriptions for the fixed operators were 253,850, representing a percentage decrease of 0.07 per cent from the previous month, showing that usage of mobile phones in the country is gradually eroding the taste for fixed telephony.

Vodafone recorded a total subscriber base of 246,425 while Airtel ended the month with 7,425 subscriptions, the NCA said.