3GScottishUser
24th January 2006, 09:16 AM
From BBCi News (24//01/2006):
Mobile phone firm Vodafone added 7.1 million new customers on an organic basis in the key Christmas quarter, ahead of market expectations.
The world's largest mobile phone group by revenues, and the UK's fifth biggest firm by market value, said its global subscriber base is now 179.3 million.
Net customer additions were 8.3 million , with 561,000 new UK users, 906,000 in Germany, and 324,000 in Italy.
Vodafone chief Arun Sarin said it was "a good operational performance".
"Sales of 3G devices accelerated in the Christmas quarter and we continue to see encouraging take-up of data services."
Shares in Vodafone were ahead more than 2% in early morning
European competition
Mr Sarin said major markets had seen increasing competitor activity, whilst emerging market businesses had reported strong growth.
"We expect to deliver full-year results in line with our existing guidance and our preliminary outlook for next year remains unchanged."
The firm saw lower growth in Germany, Italy and the UK due to increased competition, but said this had been offset by strong revenue growth in Romania, Egypt, and South Africa.
Blended annual average revenue per user (ARPU), a major industry benchmark gauge, fell 7.8% year-on-year in Germany, 8.3% in Italy and 4.3% in the UK in the face of stiff competition and regulatory drives to cut prices.
In December, Vodafone expanded its presence in emerging markets by buying Turkey's second biggest mobile telephone operator, Telsim, for $4.5bn (£2.5bn).
Full Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4642106.stm
Note: Vodafone have acquired 725,000 3G subscribers in the UK in less than 1 year (from KPI figures).
Mobile phone firm Vodafone added 7.1 million new customers on an organic basis in the key Christmas quarter, ahead of market expectations.
The world's largest mobile phone group by revenues, and the UK's fifth biggest firm by market value, said its global subscriber base is now 179.3 million.
Net customer additions were 8.3 million , with 561,000 new UK users, 906,000 in Germany, and 324,000 in Italy.
Vodafone chief Arun Sarin said it was "a good operational performance".
"Sales of 3G devices accelerated in the Christmas quarter and we continue to see encouraging take-up of data services."
Shares in Vodafone were ahead more than 2% in early morning
European competition
Mr Sarin said major markets had seen increasing competitor activity, whilst emerging market businesses had reported strong growth.
"We expect to deliver full-year results in line with our existing guidance and our preliminary outlook for next year remains unchanged."
The firm saw lower growth in Germany, Italy and the UK due to increased competition, but said this had been offset by strong revenue growth in Romania, Egypt, and South Africa.
Blended annual average revenue per user (ARPU), a major industry benchmark gauge, fell 7.8% year-on-year in Germany, 8.3% in Italy and 4.3% in the UK in the face of stiff competition and regulatory drives to cut prices.
In December, Vodafone expanded its presence in emerging markets by buying Turkey's second biggest mobile telephone operator, Telsim, for $4.5bn (£2.5bn).
Full Article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/4642106.stm
Note: Vodafone have acquired 725,000 3G subscribers in the UK in less than 1 year (from KPI figures).