North Korea's sole 3G operator Koryolink is reportedly close to reaching 2 million subscribers to its limited 3G services.
CEO Ezz Heikal revealed the milestone last week, North Korea Tech said. Service is now available across all major cities and along main road and rail routes.
But subscribers are still legally forbidden from using the network to access the internet or for international communications.
North Korea's population was around 24.4 million in 2011, according to the latest World Bank estimate.
Koryolink is 75% owned by a holding company operated by Egypt's Orascom Telecom, and 25% owned by North Korea's Ministry of Post and Telecoms.
The company launched services in December 2008, reached the half-million subscriber mark in May 2011 and crossed one million in February 2012.
Koryolink started offering 3G services to foreign visitors in February, but stopped offering internet access for these customers a month later. Subscribers can still make voice calls.
But for North Koreans living near the Chinese border, Koryolink isn't the only game in town. An underground mobile market has developed for handsets served by Chinese networks with coverage that bleeds into the nation.