North Korea's 3G cellular service has racked up almost 2 million subscribers, says a local tech blog, reports PC Magazine.

North Korea Tech reported that Koryolink, the country's sole 3G provider, has almost doubled its subscriber base in just over a year, since reaching one million users in Feb. 2012.

North Korea has a population of 24 million.

The network launched in December 2008, offering voice, text, and web services, and is available in the capital of Pyongyang, as well as other major cities and rail routes, North Korea Tech said. The catch: The country prevents citizens from direct international communications or mobile Internet service.

Expatriates and long-term visitors are allowed international connectivity, but are still blocked from most domestic phone lines. Meanwhile, tourists earned the ability early this year to carry their phones into North Korea, and can now use the 3G network for mobile Internet access by purchasing local SIM cards.