The number of 3G subscribers has decreased by around 0.2 million to 29.5 million in June 2016 against 29.7 million in May, which would hit the telecom operators negatively, revealed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) report.

Mobile phone users in Pakistan reached at 133.24 million by end June 2016 from 114.66 million by end June 2015, registering an increase of around 18.58 million during last one year.

The report which was released with a delay revealed that Mobilink 3G subscribers decreased from 9,261,146 in May to 8,919,218 by end June while Ufone 3G subscribers decreased from 5,326,429 in May to 5,223,096 by end June 2016. Chairman PTA Syed Ismail Shah admitted the decrease in 3G subscriber.

In a response to Business Recorder question PTA chairman said, "I got it checked. There is a drop". However he did not disclose the reasons behind the sharp decline in 3G subscribers at a time when the modern technology is extending in the country.

According to analysts the drop is very surprising and will hit the telecom operators negatively. According to the PTA report, the number of 3G subscribers of Zong, and Telenor reached 5,988,197 and 8,371,991 by end June 2016 against 5,921,890 and 8,278,048 by end May respectively.

Warid LTE subscribers reached 347,132 by end June against 330,876 during this period. The number of 4G (Zong) users jumped from 630,277 subscribers in May 2016 to 680,620 subscribers by end June 2016.

According to the PTA report, mobile phone users in Pakistan reached 133.24 million by end June 2016, after five mobile phone companies added a combined user base of 0.22 million customers during the reported month.

The combined user base of mobile companies registered a further decline and remained at 0.22 million in June against 0.37 million during the month of May 2016. Analysis show that the number was 1.65 million by end December 2015, 2.14 million by January 2016, 1.8 million by February, 1.56 million by end March and 1.24 million by April 2016.

Mobilink leads the charts with 39,118,521 customers while Telenor is closing in the gap with 38,020,771 subscribers.

However, after merger of Mobilink and Warid, Mobilink is able to widen the lead with more than 50 million post-merger customers. Zong has 25,251,329 customers at the end of June 2016, while Ufone stood with 19,833,670 customers till the time. Warid has a total of 11,017,174 customers. Mobile teledensity reached 69.12 percent and broadband subscribers increased to 32,415,339 during the period under review.