Optus celebrates “strong” Aussie growth as more customers say ‘yes.’The Singtel owned telco today reported a massive lift mobile performance signing on 151,000 new users in the postpaid bracket alone in the first three months of the year.
Its mobile customer base showed an increase of more than half a million customers (582,000) compared to a year ago, with total post-paid users for the No.2 telco now standing at 4.77 million.
Pre tax earnings (EBITDA) also rose 4.2 per cent for the first quarter of the year, “driven by contributions from all its segments,” it said today.
Telstra signed on 1.2 million new mobile users for the same quarter, while Vodafone lost 224,000 post paid subscribers.
Vodafone Hutchinson Australia, besieged by widespread consumer discontent at its poor service and the gains made by both Optus and Telstra appear to be symptomatic of users fleeing the service in rapid numbers.
However, it did manage to add 94,000 on its prepaid service.
Optus also grew on mobile 3G broadband customers, with numbers jumping to 5.09 million – a lift of 5 per cent year-over-year.
1.28 million of this figure accounts for wireless broadband users. Its consumer fixed line revenue also jumped 91 per cent, and lively take up of phone and internet bundles including its Fusion plans, pushed fixed line broadband user numbers to 960,000.
Optus revenue for its latest fiscal quarter to 31 March was $2.32bn – a hike of 4.1 per cent compared to the same period a year ago. Net profits also jumped 15 per cent to $261m while for the year hit $776m.
It attributed its success to its new products including controversial Femtocell service, a device which enhances broadband coverage in the the home as well as its cloud technology for back up of Smartphones and PC’s.
Total group revenue for the year end 31 March was $9.28m – a 3.7 percent jump for Singtel, which also saw a lift in local operations in Singapore, said to be delivering “strong performance.”
“In a highly competitive environment, Optus delivered EBITDA growth, improved cash flow and strengthened its market position with our mobile customer base growing to 9 million for the first time,” CEO Paul Sullivan said in a statement.
The news comes just days after Optus announce its hook up with IPTV provider FetchTV, which will put it head to head with Telstra’s T Box and other services.
Read Optus Nab FetchTV For IPTV As Telstra T Box Battle Looms here
