Banglalink’s revenue rose 19 percent to Tk 1,070 crore in the first quarter, compared to the same period a year ago. An aggressive subscriber acquisition strategy for the quarter, in addition to a higher level of value-added service and data adoption led to the revenue increase for Q1, the country’s second largest mobile phone operator said in a report.
Average revenue per user (ARPU) declined 1.6 percent to Tk 145 while it was Tk 148 in the first quarter of 2011, according to the report.
Alongside the negative impact of currency devaluation, the strong growth of subscribers in rural and youth segments resulted in some ARPU dilution for the quarter.
“In Bangladesh, subscribers increased by 23 percent year on year, which translated into revenue growth of 19 percent for the quarter in local currency terms, proving that this under penetrated market holds a huge potential upside for us,” said Ahmed Abou Doma, chief executive officer of Orascom Group.
Banglalink’s subscriber base stands at 2.47 crore for strong customer acquisitions following the reduction of the SIM tax in June 2011, according to the report.
The operator achieved an EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) of Tk 365 crore, a 13.4 percent increase compare to the same period previous year, the report said.
Capital expenditure in Q1 of 2012 reached $2.9 crore, an increase of 123 percent over the same period last year.
Banglalink paid approximately $25.6 crore to the national exchequer to renew its licence for the next 15 years.
Doma is scheduled to arrive in Dhaka in a two-day trip to take part in a programme to announce Banglalink’s recently accomplished key milestone.
-With The Daily Star input
