Landline subscriptions continue to decline as mobile phones dominate

AMMAN — Landline subscriptions in Jordan have been declining over the past eight years, while mobile subscriptions have grown significantly, according to the Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC). 

Figures released recently by the TRC showed that fixed telephony subscriptions reached 377,208 by the end of June, compared to 379,000 at the end of 2013. 

In 2012, the number stood at 401,000, while it was 424,000 by the end of 2011, 485,000 at the end of 2010, 501,000 in 2009 and 614,000 in 2006.

Landline subscriptions as a percentage of the population reached 5.1 per cent by the end of June this year compared to 8 per cent in 2010 and 11 per cent in 2006, according to the figures posted on the TRC website.

“I used to have a landline, but when prices of mobile phones and services became cheap I stopped using it,” Adel Khalil told The Jordan Times on Sunday.

“Some people still use landlines, especially those who need it for Internet connection, but I don’t see them as necessary as they used to be in the past,” the father of six said.

The TRC figures showed that mobile penetration in Jordan reached 146 per cent at the end of the first half of 2014 with 10.691 million subscriptions, compared with 78 per cent (4.343 million subscriptions) in 2006.

Internet penetration in Jordan reached 73 per cent by the end of June this year with 5.4 million users, according to the TRC.

Internet subscriptions in the first half of this year reached 21 per cent (1.551 million subscriptions). 

In 2006, Internet penetration stood at 13.7 per cent and subscriptions at 3.7 per cent.

Of the total number of Internet subscribers in the first half of this year, about 1.209 million were mobile broadband subscribers, followed by ADSL (207,713), Wi-Max (125,909) and TV cable (6,609 subscribers), according to the TRC.

The country’s three telecom operators — Zain Jordan, Orange Jordan and Umniah — launched third generation services over the past few years. 

Fourth generation services are expected to be first launched by Zain Jordan before the end of this year after the company acquired the necessary licence and frequencies.