CAIRO - The number of mobile phone subscriptions in Egypt rose by 642,000 to 56.49 million in February, according to communications ministry data. The figures amount to a penetration rate of around 72 per cent, although industry executives and analysts estimate that some 20 to 25 per cent of the market involves second phones. January subscriptions were 55.848 million. Most see room for growth up to around 65 million accounts, or 85 per cent of the population. A year ago the three mobile firms -- Mobinil, Vodafone Egypt and Etisalat Egypt -- had 43.49 million subscribers in Egypt, whose population is 78 million. The communications minister said in January that a fourth mobile licence could be offered depending on factors such as available spectrum and revenue as well as subscriber growth. The state-owned landline monopoly Telecom Egypt has expressed an interest in any new licence, holding off on a dividend payment last month ahead of a possible bid. Growth in subscriptions has slowed in recent months after jumping 1.67 million in December. More than a million accounts had been created every month since late in 2008 as the three operators offered heavily discounted on-network plans to garner customers. In October subscriptions fell.
