In its latest quarterly trading update, the MTN Group says it has recorded over seven million subscribers locally and across Africa.
MTN`s figures for 1 April to 1 June 2003 show that the group`s subscriber base on its various networks across the continent reached 7 205 000, a 41.9% increase year-on-year and a 7.1% increase since 31 March 2003.
According to the report, approximately 31% - or 2 238 000 subscribers - comprise the group`s international operations, which is an 11.6% increase since March.
Locally, MTN has increased its subscriber base by 5.2% since March. This total of 4 967 000 subscribers breaks down as 1 020 000 postpaid subscribers (up from 975 000) and a further 3 947 000 prepaid subscribers (up from 4 723 000), which equate to increases of 4.6% and 5.3% respectively.
The report says MTN`s blended average revenue per user (ARPU) declined slightly from R206 to R203 per month. Prepaid ARPU of R102 and postpaid ARPU of R596 were recorded.
Internationally, the group saw increases of between 4.4% (MTN Uganda) and 16.9% (MTN Nigeria), except in Swaziland, where its figures remained static. MTN Cameroon had an increase of 7.1% and Rwanda saw an increase of 8.6%.
Yvonne Muthien, the group`s director of corporate affairs, says MTN is very happy with the excellent growth it has achieved.
"Thanks to the consolidation that has been ongoing in the group, we can now leverage the synergies throughout Africa in terms of issues like network roll-out and procurement policies," says Muthien.
"We still expect revenue growth to continue at a steady rate, although there is a strong possibility that we will see impressive growth in our Nigerian operation. In fact, the demand in that region so far has been phenomenal, so much so that we have had to increase our network roll-out."
She says that - despite the supposed saturation of the local market - the cellular operators have revised their market estimates upwards, to figures of between 17 million and 20 million.
"The important thing to note is that the market has grown. While there is some churn between the three operators, the growth has been heading in the direction of the revised predictions," she says.
"Notwithstanding the difficult market conditions, the decline in real income among sectors of the population and the competition in the industry, I feel our steady growth is indicative of the contribution that the cellular industry has made to the economic growth of SA."
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