www.WirelessFederation.com/news: 3% rise in the EBITDA has been reported by French Mobile and broadband operator Bouygues Telecom despite new taxes and the initial effects of falling voice and SMS termination rate differentials. The EBITDA went up to EUR 357 million in the first quarter to EUR 348 million in the year-earlier period.

However, the net profit of the company fell by 2 percent to EUR 128 million, with its contribution to group net profit also down by 2 percent to EUR 115 million from EUR 117 million in the first quarter of 2009. Sales of the company rose by 5 percent to EUR 1.34 billion and network sales by 5 percent to EUR 1.24 billion. The revenue outlook of the company has also been increased for the full year to EUR 5.42 billion, compared to a March forecast of EUR 5.37 billion and 2009 revenues of EUR 5.368 billion.

The operator added 149,000 new mobile customers in the quarter, for a 24 percent share of market additions. 117,000 net fixed-line customers in the quarter have also been added by the telco, activated 428,000 Bbox routers as of the end of the month, up by 399,000 on a year earlier.