Figure 2: Internet, Email and Mobile broadband
growth in Sri Lanka
Source: Telecommunications Regulatory Commission of Sri
Lanka- Statistics December 2014
Globally mobile cellular growth rates have reached
their lowest ever level of 2.6%. The continuous
increase in mobile cellular subscriptions is mostly
due to the growth of penetration in developing
countries. They continue to grow twice as much as
in developed countries 3.1% compared with 1.5%,
respectively, in 2014. In Sri Lanka having a mobile
penetration of 98 % by population and Mobile
Subscription per 100 people is 107 suggests that
it will reach a saturation level in terms of mobile
subscribers in the near future. Therefore it is very
unlikely to have an increase of number of mobile
operators in the upcoming years.
Mobile broadband is the fastest growing section
of telecommunication market in the country. This is true for the
global Mobile broadband as well, which is growing at a faster
rate in developing countries. In the upcoming years these growth
rates are expected to be twice as high as in developed countries.
Fixed line access subscribers growth rate is slowing down. That is
mainly due to the increase of mobile phones. Therefore, potential
expansion and growth can be expected in mobile broadband section in the future, since the broadband penetration is only around
in Sri Lanka subscribers using GPRS (General packet radio service), EDGE (Enhanc Y]H