Singapore - Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) extended its regional mobile customer base by 35 per cent, or 61 million, to 232 million subscribers, the company said Monday.

Despite stiff competition and the global economic crisis, SingTel mobile subscribers in the region reached 232 million on December 31, 2008, the company said in a statement.

The number combined SingTel mobile customers in Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. On a quarterly basis, the increase was 7.3 per cent, or 16 million customers.

SingTel's six regional associates - India's Bharti, Indonesia's Telkomsel, Globe Telecom of the Philippines, Thailand's Advanced Info Service, Pacific Bangladesh Telecom and Pakistan's Warid Telecom - posted double-digit customer growth between 13 per cent and 55 per cent. Bharti posted the biggest jump, SingTel said.

In the domestic Singapore market SingTel had 2.94 million mobile subscribers as of December 31, up 26 per cent from a year ago. The company continues to lead the Singapore market. (dpa)