T-Mobile operating profit 2.5% lower at CZK 12.2bn in 2012

Prague, Feb 28 (CTK) - Czech phone operator T-Mobile saw 2012 operating profit (EBITDA) fall by 2.5 percent to Kc12.2bn on sales of Kc26.3bn, down 2 percent, and client numbers grew by 117,000 to 5.5 million, the firm said in a press release yesterday.

In 2012, users of T-Mobile’s mobile services called an average of 133 minutes per month, 5.6 percent more compared to the previous year, thanks to lower prices and a successful marketing campaign.

The volume of transmitted data doubled year-on-year, reaching nearly 3,500 terabytes.

The growing use of data services is mirrored in the share of non-voice services in the revenues from mobile services, which increased by 2 percentage points to the record level of 27 percent.

"The 2012 development clearly showed that in order to achieve satisfactory results we need to concentrate all our efforts on what is relevant for customers and continue to seek out new opportunities," said Milan Vasina, T-Mobile’s Managing Director.

The number of contract customers grew by 7 percent to 3.07 million, their share at 56 percent. The average monthly revenue per user (ARPU) of mobile services was Kc362, which is 4.7 percent less compared to the previous year.

The monthly churn rate (the share of customers who stopped using the operator’s services) declined from 1.3 to 1.1 percent year-on-year.

Rival Telefonica reported a 3.5 percent drop in fixed-line and mobile revenues to Kc50bn. Operating profit sank by 9 percent to Kc19.8bn. Mobile client numbers grew by 3 percent to 5.1 million.

Vodafone has not yet published business results for last year.