KARACHI: According to data released on Thursday, there has been a fall in the number of cellular subscribers in Pakistan for the first time in six years, despite an increase in 4G coverage throughout.
Data Darbar, a data and market intelligence platform, and Begin, a streaming platform in the United Arab Emirates, jointly released the annual “State of Apps” report for Pakistan, which shows that the total number of cellular subscriptions in Pakistan decreased by over 3.7 million in 2023 to close at 190.9 million, down 1.9pc from 194.6 million in 2022.
The decline in cellular customers was the “first instance” in at least six years, “and possibly on record,” according to the report.
The survey stated that this shift entails businesses switching from voice to data users. “[This] is part of the telecom industry’s conscious drive to get rid of low-value customers and focus on segments with better monetary returns,” it added.
Trend suggests that carriers are now giving data subscribers priority.
The increase in mobile broadband subscribers, which increased by 7.5 percent to 124.4 million in FY23, was a sign of this change.
The declining cost of mobile data, which saw the average cost of 1GB of data drop by 71.4 percent to Rs32.8 from Rs114 in 2018, also contributed to the growth. Broadband penetration, including fixed and mobile connections, rose from 51 percent in 2022 to 53.6 percent in 2023.
The study also demonstrated that the government’s initiatives to increase domestic production of mobile phones were not successful in producing positive outcomes.
Since the PTI government released the Mobile Manufacturing Policy in 2021, it has been declining, going from 24.7 million in 2021 to 21.9 million in 2022 and 21.3 million in 2023.
Outlook for mobile apps
According to the research, Pakistanis downloaded 3.51 billion apps in 2023—nearly identical to the 3.52 billion downloaded the year prior.
With 31.8 million downloads, TikTok was still the most downloaded app. Whatsapp Business and Facebook came in second and third, with 23.9 and 23.4 million downloads, respectively.
In 2023, the total number of apps launched by Pakistani developers decreased by 11.4 percent to slightly over 4,800.
Pakistan, on the other hand, came in second for gaming apps, with developers having released around 1,100 titles on the PlayStore and iOS.
“The industry is poised to grow over the coming years, particularly presenting a massive opportunity in export-oriented categories in games and applications,” the press release said, citing a persistent upswing in the incorporation of new information technology companies.
