Turn over in Georgia’s electronic communications market was GEL 1.312 billion (about USD 781 million) in 2008, against GEL 1.114 billion (at that time it was about USD 784 million) in 2007, the Georgian National Communications Commission (GNCC) said in its annual report.

The sector’s share in the country’s GDP was 6.88% last year, against 6.6% in 2007, according to the same report.

Like in previous years, mobile phone service providers still lead the pack with 63.3% of the entire sector. Fixed-line phone operators have 29% and TV and radio broadcasters take 7.7% share of the sector.

Revenues of the mobile phone operator companies in Georgia increased by GEL 126 million over the previous year reaching GEL 830.8 million in 2008.
 
The number of mobile phone users increased by 155,383 reaching total of 2.755 million in 2008. The record high increase in number of mobile phone users in single year was in 2007, when the number went up by 895,000.

Geocell and MagtiCom are two major mobile operator companies in Georgia. The third operator, Russia’s VimpelCom entered the Georgian market in March, 2007 under the Beeline brand name.
 
Fixed-line phone operators' total revenue was up to GEL 381 million in 2008, against GEL 329 million in 2007. The number of service users increased to 618,000 in 2008 from 556,000 in 2007.

The total turnover for TV and radio companies and cable TV providers increased from GEL 80.1 million in 2007 to GEL 100.5 million in 2008, according to the GNCC report. Televisions lead the pack with GEL 80.87 million, followed by cable networks – GEL 11.36 million and radio stations – GEL 8.27 million.

There are over 30 TV stations in Georgia with seven of them based in Tbilisi and 34 radio stations with 24 in Tbilisi.

Revenues of internet providers grew to GEL 65.35 million in 2008, from GEL 42.5 million in 2007.

Number of internet users, according to the report, increased to 903,400 in 2008, from 521,000 in 2007.