A subscriber is a user who pays for telecommunications services. You are a subscriber to your mobile carrier, your internet provider, your cable company. The subscriber has an account, a contract, and a bill. The carrier tracks usage and charges accordingly. The subscriber is the customer. The network exists to serve them.

Subscribers are counted by carriers. The number of subscribers is a key metric. It shows market share and growth. Carriers report quarterly. Investors watch closely. Prepaid subscribers pay in advance. Postpaid subscribers pay monthly. Business subscribers have different plans.

Subscriber metrics

• ARPU: average revenue per user
• Churn: rate of subscribers leaving
• Net adds: new subscribers minus losses
• Market share: percentage of total subscribers

Subscribers have choices. They can switch carriers. They can bundle services. They can negotiate. Competition keeps prices down. Regulation protects consumers. The subscriber is not just a number. They are the reason the network exists.