88 Million Mobile Phones in Iran

According to the Statistical Center of Iran, there are 88 million mobile phones in operation in the country. Tehran residents make up 20 percent of the total subscribers. The report states that in the year 1396 (2017), the number of active mobile phone subscribers reached 88 million, which represents a growth of about seven percent compared to 1395 (2016). Simultaneously, the number of mobile subscribers in 1396 increased by approximately 474 percent compared to 1385 (2006). Smartphones have now become an integral part of Iranians' lives, replacing personal computers for some individuals. It is also worth noting the share of main mobile phone manufacturers operating in Iran. Until last year, it was reported that most of the mobile phones used by Iranians were smuggled into the country. The technology site GSM reported that the value of the mobile market in Iran 'reaches 6 billion dollars.' The latest statistics on brand diversity in the market date back to 1396. According to GFK's statistics on various brands' market shares in Iran's mobile market during the summer of 1396, Samsung held 51 percent, Huawei 14 percent, LG 13 percent, Apple 11 percent, HTC 4 percent, Sony 2 percent, and other brands 5 percent of the market sales. The technology site Digiato commented on this data: 'GFK has also published overall statistics on the mobile phones available in Iran, which can be viewed with some skepticism. In this data, Samsung holds 45 percent and Apple 30 percent of the market share. Aside from the strange case of Apple, this institute reported LG's share as 10 percent and Huawei's as 8 percent, while according to Cafe Bazaar statistics, Huawei ranks second among Android phones after Samsung. The institute reported Sony's share as 3 percent and HTC's as 2 percent of the Iranian market, while other brands accounted for another 2 percent.' It does not seem that these percentages have changed significantly in a year. The only possibility is that due to the registration plan and the increased difficulty of importing Apple phones, along with their high prices due to rising currency rates, Apple's market share may have decreased, and the market may have shifted slightly in favor of cheaper phones made by China's Huawei. The site Zoomit reported on the new record of 88 million mobile phones in Iran: 'When the current population of Iran is estimated to be around 80 million, this statistic shows that the number of active mobile phone subscribers exceeds the Iranian population. This statistic indicates that mobile phones, which have become versatile products, have an extraordinary potential for the growth of the technology market and can play a significant role in the growth and flourishing of various businesses and powerful startups.' The growth in the number of mobile phones in Iran in recent years has accompanied the increase in internet speed, although the situation of censorship and filtering of websites and social networks, which many access through mobile phones, has continued to rise. Now, Iranian users are also facing two other problems: the increase in currency prices, which naturally affects the prices of goods, and the increase in internet prices. What is evident in the statements of Hossein Fallah Jooshghani, the head of the Regulatory Authority for Communications, is: 'The foreign currency costs for operators have tripled in this economic situation, and the work of operators is very currency-intensive. Changes have occurred in all areas of the country and have led to price increases.'