Celcom allocates RM1.5 billion in capex this year
KUALA LUMPUR: Celcom Axiata Bhd has allocated RM1.5 billion in capital expenditure (Capex) for this year with a large chunk for the 4G network expansion.
Deputy chief executive officer, Business Operation, Azwan Khan Osman Khan said the company aimed to increase its 4G coverage to 85 per cent in Malaysia by year-end from 77 per cent currently.
“We want customers to get a consistent 4G coverage. We want to ensure that when people are on our 4G network, they will get a consistent high-speed experience,” he told reporters at the company’s first quarter 2017 financial results announcement here today.
Chief financial officer Jennifer Wong said 70 per cent of the
We want customers to get a consistent 4G coverage. We want to ensure that when people are on our 4G network, they will get a consistent high-speed experience. Azwan Khan Osman Khan, Celcom deputy chief executive officer, Business Operation
Capex would be used to expand the 4G network coverage and improve its quality.
She said as at the first quarter, Celcom has already spent nearly RM167 million in terms of Capex and the expenditure is expected to intensify in the third and fourth quarters.
Apart from the 4G network expansion, Azwan Khan said the company would also focus on oneto-one marketing and monetising the existing base and at the same time continue to provide a lot of new features on its products.
“Acquiring customers is obviously important, but it is not about chasing new customers just for the sake of numbers, it is also about maintaining our longerterm customers and focusing on customer value,” he said.
For the first quarter, Celcom’s earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) fell to RM538 million from RM625 million in the same period last year, while revenue declined 3.3 per cent to RM1.609 billion from RM1.665 billion previously.
The company holds about 30 per cent market share in terms of total revenue and service revenue. — Bernama