Data push boosts Airtel net by 10%

Q2 RESULTS Mobile data revenues jump 50% as data traffic grows 76.3%

NEW DELHI: Bharti Airtel rode its recent 4G rollout and resurgent 3G to report a 49.8% growth in consolidated mobile data revenues to `3,806 crore in the quarter ended September 30, 2015.

A 76.3% growth in mobile data traffic meant mobile data revenue contributed 21.5% of Airtel’s total India revenues. Data made up 14.5% of total revenues in the same period last year.

Airtel, which is India’s largest private telecom services provider, reported a 10.1% jump in consolidated net profit at `1,523 crore for the quarter.

Total revenue rose 4.3% to `23,836 crore for the reported period compared with `22,845 crore last year.

“With the commercial launch of high speed 4G services across 334 towns and roll-out of 3G services in our gap circles, we are now best positioned in the industry to leverage the fast growing data market,” claimed Gopal Vittal, MD and CEO, India and South Asia.

Data average revenue per user (ARPU) rose by 27.8% or `42 to `193 (year-on-year) during the quarter ended September 30. The period also witnessed a 35.9% rise in average data usage per customer. Airtel has over the last few quarters been aggressively hawking its 4G and 3G data services. GOPAL VITTAL, MD&CEO, Bharti Airtel, India & South Asia

With the commercial launch of high speed 4G services across 334 towns and roll-out of 3G services in our gap circles, we are now best positioned in the industry to leverage the fast growing data market

The net debt of the company at the end of the quarter stood at `70,777 crore.

Airtel’s scrip on the Bombay Stock Exchange closed at `351.90, down 1.91%.

AFRICA BUSINESS

Airtel’s performance in Africa, where it is present in XX countries, has improved with underlying revenue growing 5.1% in second quarter, the highest in the past year, the company said.

The company said it hopes to improve its data business in Africa, along with voice. “Strong demand is being witnessed both in voice and data, with consumption increasing by 19.5% and 104.5% respectively,” Airtel’s Africa MD and CEO Christian de Faria said.

In the first half of 2015, Airtel divested tower assets in Africa estimated to be worth more than `7,600 crore.