Turn over in Georgia’s electronic communications market reached GEL 1.114 billion (about USD 784 million) in 2007, up from GEL 1 billion in 2006, the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC) said in its annual report.

The sector is worth 6.6% of the country’s GDP, down from 7.5% in 2006.

Mobile phone service providers lead the pack, with 63.28% of the entire sector, as opposed to 65% in 2006. Fixed-line phone operators have 29.53%, which is only slightly less then in 2006 and TV and radio broadcasters take 7.19% of the sector against 5.22% in 2006.

Revenues of the mobile phone operator companies in Georgia were over Gel 704 million, up from GEL 650 million in 2006.

The number of mobile phone users increased by 895,000 reaching 2.6 million in 2007, which is “a record high,” the report said.

Geocell and MagtiCom are two major mobile operator companies in Georgia. Russia’s VimpelCom entered the Georgian market in March, 2007 under the Beeline brand name.

An average monthly income from each user of the mobile operators was GEL 57.7 in 2000; the figure increased up to GEL 217 in 2007, according to the GNCC report.

Fixed-line phone operators' total revenue was up to GEL 329 million in 2007 from GEL 299 million in 2006. The number of service users increased slightly, reaching 556,000.

The total turn over for TV and radio companies increased from GEL 52.2 million in 2006 to GEL 80.1 million in 2007.

There are a total of 39 TV stations in Georgia with seven of them based in Tbilisi and 30 radio stations with 20 in Tbilisi.

Revenues of internet providers grew to GEL 42.5 million in 2007 from GEL 26.15 million in 2006.

The GNCC also reported increase in the number of internet users, with 41,000 ADSL users registered in 2007, against 27,700 in previous year.