Almost 130,000 mobile lines less in April

Spain continues to fall month-to-month in mobile phone users mainly by the loss of prepaid lines.

During the month of April, and for the first time in history, the alternative operators (MVNO) were the only ones who won mobile lines, 219.297 more, while other companies experienced losses.

The latest data from the telecommunications market Commission (CMT), released today, are running during that month Movistar lost 214.059 lines; Vodafone, 107.210; Orange recorded a decline of 15.467; and Telstra of 12.307.

In total, nearly 130,000 mobile lines became extinct in April.

Again, the cause of the decline was basically the collapse in the number of prepaid lines. The fall was set exactly in 129.746 lines less (76.982 lines and 52.764 datacards).

In short, the month was closed with 52,05 million mobile lines and a proportion of 112.7 lines per 100 inhabitants (if mobile lines and datacards are computed).

In addition, mobile portability marked a new record with 560.361 exchanges, 66.2% more than in the same period of the previous year.

April was the fifth month straight with figures of portability which exceeded half a million monthly exchanges. Thus, in the period from December to April, nearly 3 million customers changed their company.

Moreover, as a counterpoint, broadband continued to register a positive and upward trend, and added 42.550 lines to the market during the month of April.

According to the new report by the CMT, the uptake of broadband lines was also led by alternative operators, with 33.688 lines, followed by Telefonica which won 11.352 lines. Cable operators lost 2.490 them throughout the month.