CAIRO - The number of mobile phone subscriptions in Egypt rose by more than 10.5 million, or 20 per cent, from a year earlier, a state website said on Tuesday. Subscriptions grew to 63.93 million in September, the website said. In September 2009, Egypt's three mobile operators - Etisalat Egypt ETEL.AD, Mobinil and Vodafone Egypt - had 53.43 million subscribers. Egypt is the Arab world's most populous country, with 79 million people. Growth has slowed since last December, when 1.7 million subscriptions were added in a month. Analysts partly blame delays in a plan to add an extra digit to numbers. The head of the telecoms regulator told Reuters in July that Egypt was looking into options for a fourth mobile licence, including a virtual network. State-owned landline monopoly Telecom Egypt (ETEL.CA) has expressed interest in a new licence.