Colombia's Mobile Phone Lines Rose To 27.96 Million In 2Q

BOGOTA -(Dow Jones)- The number of mobile telephone lines in Colombia rose to 27.96 million at the end of June, 11% more than at the end of March, President Alvaro Uribe's press office said late Tuesday in a statement.

The three mobile telephone operators in Colombia gained 2.94 million new customers from March to June, the statement said, quoting figures from the Superintendence of Trade and Industry.

Compared with the same period of last year, the number of mobile phones jumped 79%, the statement said.

In a country of 41 million, there is more than two mobile telephones for every three Colombians.

In 2005, sales of mobile telephone companies surpassed the sales registered from fixed-lines companies for the first time ever. Operators boosted revenue by attracting new customers with lower fees.

Comcel, the Colombian unit of Mexico-based America Movil, controlled the biggest slice of the market, with 17.97 million lines, followed by Spain's Telefonica with 7.47 million lines and Colombia Movil SA, known as Ola, with 2.51 million lines, the statement said.

-By Inti Landauro, Dow Jones Newswires; 57-1-600 1980; colombia@dowjones.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires"

Posted to the site on 19th July 2006