Telkom continues to bleed fixed line subscribers
Telkom unveiled its financial results for the year ended 31 March 2013, revealing that the company currently has 3,800,000 fixed access lines – down from 3,995,000 in March 2012.
The latest figures show that Telkom’s fixed access lines are now at the lowest level since 1995, when the company had 3,773,000 fixed line subscribers.
Since the year 2000, Telkom’s fixed line subscribers have declined every year. This decline continued despite an economic boom from 2003 to 2007, and the launch of ADSL in late 2002.
The fact that there is a decline in all segments of fixed line customers does not bode well for Telkom.
The following table provides an overview of Telkom’s fixed-line performance over the last 12 months.
| Lines | March 2012 (’000) | March 2013 (’000) | Percentage growth |
| Fixed access lines (’000) | 3,995 | 3,800 | -4.9 |
| Post-paid – PSTN | 2,499 | 2,427 | -2.9 |
| Post-paid – ISDN channels | 767 | 756 | -1.4 |
| Pre-paid | 623 | 522 | -16.2 |
| Payphones | 106 | 95 | -10.4 |
Telkom’s steady decline in fixed line numbers since the turn of the century has been blamed on many factors, including competition from mobile services, copper theft and tough economic conditions.
The following table provides an overview of Telkom fixed line growth and decline since the early nineties.
| Year | Fixed line subscribers | Change |
| 1993 | 3,458,000 | – |
| 1994 | 3,594,000 | 136,000 |
| 1995 | 3,773,000 | 179,000 |
| 1996 | 3,926,000 | 153,000 |
| 1997 | 4,259,000 | 333,000 |
| 1998 | 4,645,000 | 386,000 |
| 1999 | 5,075,000 | 430,000 |
| 2000 | 5,493,000 | 418,000 |
| 2001 | 4,962,000 | -531,000 |
| 2002 | 4,924,000 | -38,000 |
| 2003 | 4,844,000 | -80,000 |
| 2004 | 4,821,000 | -23,000 |
| 2005 | 4,726,000 | -95,000 |
| 2006 | 4,708,000 | -18,000 |
| 2007 | 4,642,000 | -66,000 |
| 2008 | 4,533,000 | -109,000 |
| 2009 | 4,451,000 | -82,000 |
| 2010 | 4,273,000 | -178,000 |
| 2011 | 4,073,000 | -200,000 |
| 2012 | 3,995,000 | -78,000 |
| 2013 | 3,800,000 | -195,000 |
More on Telkom’s fixed lines
Telkom’s fixed line numbers: A brief history since 1993
Telkom’s fixed line numbers the lowest in 15 years
Telkom loses more fixed line users
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