The number of mobile phone subscriptions in Egypt rose by more than 10.5 million, or 20 percent, from a year earlier, a state website said on Tuesday.
Subscriptions grew to 63.93 million in September, the website said. In September 2009, Egypt’s three mobile operators — Etisalat Egypt, Mobinil and Vodafone Egypt — had 53.43 million subscribers.
Egypt is the Arab world’s most populous country, with 79 million people.
Growth has slowed since last December, when 1.7 million subscriptions were added in a month. Analysts partly blame delays in a plan to add an extra digit to numbers.
The head of the telecoms regulator told Reuters in July that Egypt was looking into options for a fourth mobile license, including a virtual network.
State-owned landline monopoly Telecom Egypt has expressed interest in a new license.
