The number of mobile telephony subscriptions per hundred of inhabitants rose almost 14 times in EU member countries during 1996-2005. Romania was among the last European countries by the end of 2005, according to newly released Eurostat data, with 62 mobile telephony subscriptions per thousand inhabitants. In terms of wired telephony, it was also placed last, with 20 lines per hundred inhabitants in 2005.
Two years ago, 13 EU member countries reported more than 100 connections per hundred of inhabitants, peaking in Luxembourg with 158. Romania came last, with 62 connections, followed by Poland, France and Bulgaria.
The advance in terms of wired telephony was very low at EU level during 1996-2005, from 43 lines per hundred inhabitants in 1996 to 48 lines in 2005.
