More mobile subscriptions than inhabitants

The total number of mobile subscriptions in the Channel Islands in 2018 was 197,219, up approximately 7,500 from 2017, said Cicra. In Guernsey, there were 71,287 subscriptions last year compared to 68,848 in the previous year. Jersey had 120,851 subscriptions in 2017 and 125,932 in 2018.

‘In common with many developed countries, the number of active mobile subscriptions in the Channel Islands is greater than the number of inhabitants. At the end of 2018 in Guernsey there were 114 active subscriptions per 100 inhabitants, and in Jersey there were 118 subscriptions per 100 inhabitants,’ said the Cicra report.

While mobile subscriptions were up, the document revealed that in 2018 Channel Islands consumers generated revenues for local operators of £7.5m. using mobile services while roaming abroad, £0.6m. less than in 2017. Fixed line call minutes also fell in Guernsey by 2.9% to 68m. and in Jersey by 10.6% to 99m. – similar to declines seen in the UK. Possible causes include the substitution of traditional services by mobile phones and alternative forms of communication such as video calling and messaging services, according to Cicra.