Muscat – Oman’s telecommunications sector witnessed noteworthy changes in mobile subscription patterns till the end of 2024, with a major rise in postpaid subscriptions and a slight decline in prepaid users.

Data from the National Center for Statistics and Information (NCSI) revealed a 33.9% surge in postpaid mobile subscriptions, which reached 2,391,951 by December 2024.

In contrast, prepaid subscriptions fell by 1.6% to 5,114,919, comprising 3,889,244 from first-class licensed operators and 1,225,675 from resellers.

Despite the dip in prepaid users, the total number of mobile subscriptions rose by 7.5% year-on-year, reaching 7,506,870. These figures underscore a growing preference for postpaid services among consumers in Oman.

Active mobile broadband subscriptions also saw a rise, reaching 6,455,261, while fixed Internet subscriptions grew by 2% to 574,730.

Fixed broadband connections (above 256 kbps) rose to 573,028, while low-speed internet subscriptions, including telephone-based and leased lines, stood at 1,702.

The fixed-line sector experienced a sharp decline, with subscriptions dropping by 24.8% to 435,596. Traditional analogue fixed-line subscriptions – both prepaid and postpaid- fell by 20.9% to 66,834.

However, fixed-line subscriptions using Internet Protocol (IP) technology rose by 7.4%, reaching 318,478.

Meanwhile, subscriptions to digital network channels for integrated services dipped slightly by 0.2% to 49,634. Public telephone subscriptions saw a dramatic drop of 98.1%, with just 127 users recorded, while fixed wireless subscriptions declined by 25.6% to 523.

Muscat governorate led in the number of fixed analogue telephone lines, accounting for 49.63%, followed by North Batinah with 11.46% and Dhofar with 10.03%. The remaining governorates collectively made up 28.88%. The data reflects evolving consumer preferences and the rising demand for broadband and postpaid services, highlighting the shifting dynamics of Oman’s telecom landscape.