Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) has reported 33 percent rise in number of customers, adding 64 million more customers as compared to the previous year. Its mobile customer base now stands at 262 million, as of June 2009. However, the biggest jump in subscriber base is reported by Bharti Airtel, the Indian associate of SingTel mobile, adding 33 million new subscribers.

SingTel’s mobile customer base on sequential quarterly basis increased 5.1 percent in all eight markets - Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand - through its associates.

The company, the largest phone firm of the Southeast Asia region, added 238,000 mobile customers in Singapore, and reported a rise in demand for services based on third generation technology (3G) adding 64,000 new 3G subscribers in the quarter.

Singtel added 15,000 new customers, totaling the mobile customer base to 2.99 million in the Singapore market.

Similarly, its Australian unit, Optus, added around 764,000 customers, bringing its total customer base to about 8 million. Its Indonesian associate, PT Telkomsel, also added 23.6 million subscribers, increasing its customer base to 76 million.