Tele Trend

Sept 20, 2011 (LBO) - Sri Lanka's mobile users grew 14.

5 percent to 18.1 million in the second quarter of 2011 from a year earlier down from an 18.

5 percent expansion seen in the first quarter, official data showed. Wireless fixed usage contracted 2.

5 percent to 2.68 million in the second quarter from a quarter earlier thought total subscribers were still higher by 2.

5 percent from a year earlier, data published by the Central Bank showed.

Sri Lanka's stand alone fixed access telcos have been struggling to survive with competition from mobiles.

Sri Lanka had 104.9 lines per 100 persons in the second quarter up from 100.

8 by the end of 2010 showing that the market is saturated.

Wireline subscribers grew 4.4 percent to 918,221 from a year earliers. Users grew from 907,887 a quarter earlier.

Sri Lanka Telecom, the island's sole wireline operator has said the sector is growing with demand from broadband users.

Internet subscribers were put at 692,000 up 166 percent from a year earlier.