The number of Ukrainian mobile phone subscribers fell 114,000 in May to 55.1 million, consultants Advanced Communications & Media said Tuesday.

Penetration, or the number of valid SIM cards per 100 people, fell to 119.5%, from 119.7% at the end of April.

The country's largest operator Kyivstar, controlled by Norway's Telenor ASA (TEL.OS), shed the most subscribers. OAO Mobile TeleSystems' (MBT) subscribers also shrank, but Turkcell-controlled (TKC) Astelit continued to win market share from its two larger rivals.

AC&M gave the following breakdown of the largest operators' subscriber details for Ukraine.

 
 Operator     May            April       On Month 
 Kyivstar   22.729 mln    22.850 mln   -121,000 
 MTS        17.731 mln    17.821 mln    -90,000 
 Astelit    11.570 mln    11.520 mln    +50,000 
 URS         1.893 mln     1.880 mln    +13,000

Company Web site: http://www.acm-consulting.com

-By Will Bland, Dow Jones Newswires; +7 495 974 80 55; william.bland@dowjones.com