Cellular network operator Vodacom increased its total customer base by 25.1% to 9.6 million in the six months to 30 September.
Group revenue of R11.29 billion was 19.6% higher than the R9.44 million achieved in the same period a year before. South African revenue rose 19.3% to R10.61 billion, while the other African operations contributed R691 million or 6.1% (2002: R549 million or 5.7%).
The group says Vodacom Congo in particular showed strong revenue growth, although off a low base, growing revenue by 115.8% to R205 million.
"The first six months of the financial year has seen continued growth in the South African mobile cellular industry," it says. "Exceptionally high industry-wide gross connections were driven by low-cost deals to prepaid customers which, in turn, were driven by strong competition between the South African operators."
Profit from operations rose by 33% from R1.84 billion to R2.45 billion while earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation increased by 22.2% to R3.7 billion.
"The forces exercising pressure on operating margins continued this year, namely increasing interconnect costs, the change in traffic mix and a more competitive operating environment. In SA, as expected, market share reduced to 55%, while competition in all of Vodacom`s other African ventures all increased.
"Despite these challenging conditions, Vodacom again proved that it can maintain its margins."
Net profit after taxes and minority interests increased by 49.7% to R1.37 billion from R918 million previously.
During the period the average revenue per user (ARPU) in SA fell to R179 per month, down from R181 previously. Contract ARPU in SA rose by 8.3% to R663 per month while prepaid ARPU slipped from R88 to R87 per month.
South African customers increased 19.5% to 8.5 million while other African customers increased 98% to 1.1 million.
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