By M.V.A. Kumar
DOHA: Vodafone Qatar registered a 2.6 percent increase in the number of mobile customers to 1,458,000, during the first quarter ended on June 30, 2016, compared to the first quarter of 2015. Service revenue rose to QR485m, a 2.8 percent growth compared to last quarter and 0.8 percent growth over the same period last year after adjusting for the mobile terminating rate cut, which became effective from October 1, 2015.
Mobile average revenue per user (ARPU) stood at QR101, reflecting a 2.1 percent improvement over last quarter. Total revenue was QR501m, showing a 7 percent decline over the same period last year and 3 percent decline compared to last quarter.
The EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation) of QR100m represented an EBITDA margin of 20 per cent. The company stated that after excluding seasonal variations, the EBITDA margin was now stable since last quarter. Vodafone Qatar recorded a net loss of QR100m during the first quarter, delivering a loss per share of QR0.12 with distributable profits of QR1m, an increase of 2 percent over the same period last year.
Ian Gray (pictured), CEO of Vodafone Qatar, said: “I am pleased to say that there is some hard evidence emerging of an improvement in the company performance in the first quarter results of our new financial year. International voice revenue continues to decline but data revenue has increased helping our total service revenue to increase over the previous quarter by almost 3 per cent with mobile ARPU also improving.
“In May we reduced our headcount by 10 percent, some of which will be permanent and some creates an opportunity to redistribute activity into the skill sets required to augment our mobile revenue streams with adjacent business opportunities and follow a cost-effective approach to giving Qatar choice in fixed services. Our EBITDA margin is broadly stable after taking into account seasonal variations,” he said.
“During the first quarter, the higher quality of our network was substantiated by an independent technical audit conducted in April 2016 by the international leader in mobile performance testing, P3 Communications which showed that Vodafone was the best performing company in Qatar for mobile voice and data combined by achieving ‘Best in Test’ certification,” Gray said.
“We launched a number of Post-paid and Pre-paid plans that ensure our customers feel empowered and confidently connected whether they’re in the country or abroad. In addition, the holy month of Ramadan was filled with philanthropic endeavours with the highlight being our #GivingChallenge fundraising initiative through which we raised more than QR1m in proceeds that will go to four different charities in Qatar,” he said.
“We are enthusiastic about the future for our company, with a new Board whose input will be valuable, an improved quality in our technical and care delivery and a streamlined organisation allowing us to make fast and effective decisions,” Gray added.
The Peninsula
