The number of people signed up to North Korea\u2019s domestic cell phone network had reached 809,000 by the end of September, representing a 169% increase in subscribers year-on-year, according to Egyptian provider Orascom Telecom.<\/p>\n
Orascom Telecom\u2019s third quarter earnings report asserts that as a result of the growth, Koryolink, the partnership Orascom runs with the North Korean authorities, saw revenues of $41,491,000 in the third quarter, a 125% increase over $18,445,000 in the same period of 2010. <\/p>\n
However, the figures are distorted by the vast difference between the official and black market exchange rate. Orascom calculates its earnings figures according to an official exchange rate of 135 won\/$, whereas the black market exchange rate in Pyongyang on November 14th was 4000 won\/$.<\/p>\n
Orascom also stated that its service is now available via 453 base stations in Pyongyang and 14 other major cities, 86 towns and along the fringes of 22 major roads. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The number of people signed up to North Korea\u2019s domestic cell phone network had reached 809,000 by the end of September, representing a 169% increase in subscribers year-on-year, according to Egyptian provider Orascom Telecom. Orascom Telecom\u2019s third quarter earnings report asserts that as a result of the growth, Koryolink, the partnership Orascom runs with the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":150,"featured_media":17242,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[67],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17240","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n