Wireless Federation

Improved PalTel revenues attributed to its growing mobile subscriber base (Palestine)

On 08.01.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Palestine Telecommunications Company released its revenues for the first half that increased by 11% to $257 million. In addition, the company’s net profit touched $91 million to account for a 16.3% rise.

Improved consolidated revenues has been acknowledged to have pushed the company’s growth, as an aftermath of the positive impact the new operating policy focusing management efforts had on core telecom functions and outsourcing support functions.

Currently, the telco boasts of 383,000 fixed line subscribers in the wake of subscriber base increase, at the rate of 5.7%. Apparently, the company’s fresh acquisition campaigns have borne fruit. At the end of H1-2011, the average monthly revenue per fixed line subscriber stood at $21.7 while it were $22.3 and $21.2 at the ends of FY-2010 and H1-2010 respectively.

In the wake of 11.5% growth, the company’s mobile subscribers stood at 2.31 million at the end of H1-2011. 90.3% and 9.7% constituted the composition with regard to prepaid and postpaid subscribers respectively.

The blended ARPU declined by 2.4% to reach US$15.0/subscriber/month during the first half of 2011 compared with US$15.4/subscriber/month in H1-2010, while it stood in line with the figure for FY-2010 where it was US$15.0/subscriber/month. This decrease in the ARPU H1-2011 vs. H1-2010 is attributable to the larger customer base, low ARPU of the new customers and to offering larger discounts to the customers.

The data segment achieved a 27.6% growth rate in the number of ADSL lines to stand at 138K lines by the end of H1-2011 compared with 108K lines as of the end of FY-2010, and grew by 34.5% compared to H1-2010 where the base was 102K lines. This increase in customer base was accompanied by a decline in ARPU which reached US$21.6 in H1-2011 compared to US$25.4 by year end 2010. In addition, penetration rate of the ADSL lines (per landline) increased from 29.8% at the end of FY-2010 to 35.9% at the end of H1-2011.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: operator • Palestine

Qtel reports record 2010 revenue of US$7.5 billion

On 03.02.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Qatar Telecom (Qtel) announced that 2010 full year Group revenue increased 13.1% to end 2010 at QAR27.2 billion (US$7.47 billion), as the Group’s consolidated customer base reached 74.1 million (FY 2009: 60.4 million).

Distributable earnings for 2010 including profits from the Nawras IPO taken directly to retained earnings increased by 21.3% to QAR3.4 billion (US$927.5 million). Earnings per Share (EPS) for 2010 grew 2.2% to QAR 19.69.

As part of the Group’s diversification strategy, Qtel has maintained solid operational and financial progress, successfully balancing the management of competitive pressure to maintain market share in mature markets with the ongoing development of operations in growth markets.

Key highlights of the year include the roll-out of Fibre-to-the-Home in Qatar, the successful implementation of a value-driven strategy by Indosat in Indonesia, strong revenue growth in Algeria leading to a first annual net profit for Nedjma, the successful defence of market leadership position in Tunisia, the launch of fixed line and home broadband services by Nawras in Oman and continued subscriber growth for Asiacell in Iraq.

The Group also successfully launched IPOs in Oman and Palestine, saw strong support for a 10-year Bond for Indosat and for the Qtel Group’s bond sale, which was more than ten times oversubscribed.

Qatar Telecom (Qtel) provides a full range of telecommunications services in Qatar and across its presence in 17 countries. Our vision is to be among the top 20 telecommunications companies in the world by 2020 through expansion in both the MENA region and South East Asia.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Algeria • Asiacell • consolidated customer base • Earnings Per Share • EPS • Fibre-to-the-Home • Indonesia • IPO • Iraq • MENA region • Mobile • Nawras • Nawras IPO • Oman • Palestine • Qatar • Qatar Telecom • Qtel • Revenue • South East Asia • Tunisia

Palestine telecom profit increases by 22.8%

On 02.18.11, In Mobile, By Editor

Palestinian telco network, PalTel has reported that its full-year revenues for 2010 increased by 7.88% to US$479 million, while it also saw a 22.75% rise in net profits to US$122 million.

The rise in net profits was put down to a decline in investment losses by 40.28%. The decline in other non-recurring expenses by 32.66%; non recurring expenses are mainly related to the financial settlement which was signed during 2010 between Paltel Group and the Palestinian National Authority.

In regards to the operating revenues of each segment, the company achieved a growth in its Fixed Line, Mobile, Data and IT revenues by 10.04%, 9.07%, 9.52% and 13.60% respectively.

According to Ammar Aker, CEO of the Paltel Group, the positive financial results for 2010 is due to the successful implementation of the strategic direction approved by the board at the outset of 2010 and is a result of the company’s settlement of some non recurring expenses for license fees and reconciliation of portfolio investment losses carried over from previous years. They are able to claim in 2011 that they are a healthy operation, looking forward to continue their focus on growing their core services.

Mobile and ADSL subscribers grew by 26.58% and 16.12%, respectively reaching a customer base of 2.26mn and 107,389 compared with 1.80 milion and 92,483 as of the end of FY-2009. The number of fixed line subscribers witnessed 2.08% decline rate to stand at 362,792 subscribers compared with 370,483 as of the end of FY-2009. This decline was a result of the new disconnection policy for inactive lines.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: ADSL • Ammar Aker • CEO • Data • financial settlement • Fixed Line • full-year revenues • IT revenues • Mobile • Net Profits • Operating Revenues • Palestine • Palestinian National Authority • PalTel

Wataniya Palestine aims to raise $50 million by IPO

On 11.03.10, In Mobile, By Editor

Palestine’s Wataniya Mobile has announced its plans to sell 15% of its share via an IPO, raising US$50.3 million in the process.

According to the company, the offer period for shares will take place between 7 November and 2 December, and will be followed by a listing on the Palestine stock exchange.

Wataniya is Palestine’s second mobile operator, having launched services in competition with Jawwal, part of incumbent operator Paltel, in November 2009. As of the end of September, the company had 302,404 subscribers, up from 110,835 at the start of the year, which it claims equates to a market share of 19% in the West Bank.

As per the company, the telco is licensed to provide mobile services in both the West Bank and Gaza, and it plans to expand its network to the latter as soon as is practicable. To date, the political situation in the region has made such a move impossible.

According to Bassam Hannoun, CEO of Wataniya Mobile, the company feels they have a very exciting time ahead, and look forward to welcoming new investors to join them as they continue to grow their community of customers in Palestine.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Bassam Hannoun • CEO • Gaza • IPO • Jawwal • Mobile • Palestine • Palestine stock exchange • Wataniya • West Bank

PalTel Q3 revenue increases, net profit plunges (Palestine)

On 11.02.10, In Mobile, By Editor

The Palestine Telecommunications Company (PalTel) has revealed its third quarter results. The company reported an increase of 8.84% in its revenues to US$356 million, although the net profit declined by 9.6% to US$92 million due to exceptional items. The decline in profits was attributable to the investment losses mainly caused from the company’s share in VTEL offshore operations.

As of the end of September, the number of fixed line subscribers grew by 11.02% to reach 405,947 compared with 365,640 during the same period of last year. Mobile and ADSL subscribers grew by 29.73% and 17.82%, respectively, reaching a customer base of 2.135 million and 102,429 compared with 1.646 million and 86,935 as of the end of Q3-2009.

According to Mr. Ammar Aker, the CEO of PalTel, the Group continues to achieve financial growth due to new strategies in place while closely working with the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology (MTIT) to further the development of the telecommunications sector by promoting competition and serving the Palestinian community to provide optimal services for all its customers.

Mr. Aker added that the restructuring of Paltel Group has allowed companies to re-focus on core business initiatives and meet the daily challenges of implementing new strategies in respective operations in mobile, fixed and data services. All of this effort has already resulted in a positive impact in terms of growth in subscriber base and the related impact on operational revenue.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: ADSL • Mobile • MTIT • Net Profit • Palestine • PalTel • q3 • Revenue

Wataniya Mobile to offer 15% stake in IPO (Palestine)

On 11.01.10, In Mobile, By Editor

Qtel has announced its intention to undertake an Initial Public Offering (IPO) of 15% out of its authorized share capital to group member Wataniya Palestine Mobile Telecommunications Public Shareholding Company, the second licensed mobile telecommunications company in Palestine.

Wataniya Mobile has appointed HSBC Bank Middle East Limited as sole global coordinator and sole book-runner and Arab Bank Group as regional coordinator for the offering. Wataniya Mobile is a subsidiary of Wataniya Telecom which is 52.5% owned by Qtel. Wataniya Mobile is also part owned by the Palestine Investment Fund.

Wataniya Mobile aims to bring the latest mobile technologies and highest quality service to both individual and commercial customers in Palestine.

As per officials, the offer period is from November 7 until December 2, 2010 with 38.7 million new shares no sell down by existing shareholders at the time of the IPO fixed offer price of $1.30 per share. The IPO to be raised is $50.3 million and indicative market capitalization of $335.4 million.

Retail investors in Palestine are to subscribe at branches of HSBC, Arab Bank, Bank of Palestine, Palestine Commercial Bank, Palestine Islamic Bank, Qatar National Bank and Quds Bank. In Qatar, Qatar National Bank is a receiving bank for Qatari wholesale investors only

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Arab Bank Group • Bank Of Palestine • HSBC Bank Middle East Limited • IPO • Mobile • Palestine • Palestine Commercial Bank • Palestine Islamic Bank • Qatar • Qatar National Bank • Quds Bank • Wataniya Mobile • Wataniya Telecom

Palestine Network inks an Expansion Contract with Ericsson

On 10.01.10, In Mobile, By Editor

Palestinian mobile network, Jawwal has signed a US$15 million network expansion contract with Ericsson.

According to Kamal Tartor, director of engineering, Jawwal, the company is continuously seeking to improve and update its network to better serve its customers. It also seeks to increase the quality and number of services provided, and the 10th phase implementation in cooperation with Ericson will allow more customers to join its network.

As per the agreement the contract will help in improving the network and its coverage, and that the crew is working hard to make the network even stronger, and already expanded the internet network.

Mr. Hekmat Daqqa, CEO of Ericson Company in Palestine has harmonized the strategic relations between the two companies, where Ericson is the largest heavy equipment provider for many telecommunication companies in the Arab countries and the world. Thus, this will support the advancement of its infrastructure.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Arab countries • Ericsson • heavy equipment provider • Infrastructure • Jawwal • Mobile • Palestine • Telecommunication Companies

Paltel net profit increases 20.8% (Palestine)

On 04.28.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: First-quarter net profit of Palestinian incumbent Palestine Telecommunications Company’s (Paltel’s) rose 20.8% to AED120.83 million (USD32.89 million). The rise has been attributed to the increase in the subscribers’ numbers. Paltel’s revenue also increased, up 9.8% year-on-year from AED380.66 million at end-March 2009 to AED418.21 million in the three months ended March 31, 2010.

According to telco’s CEO Ammar Aker, turnover from fixed line voice services continued to decline however, down 2.7% against the same period a year earlier, although this was offset by a 15.65% increase in revenue from the company’s mobile subsidiary, Palestine Cellular Telecommunications Company (Palcel).

Palcel added more than 450,000 customers in the year ending March 2010, outpacing its fixed line counterpart in terms of subscribers; while both fixed and mobile units reported subscriber growth, the latter saw a far larger increase. Even the ADSL services witnessed a continuous growth.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: ADSL • Middle East • Palcel • Palestine • PalTel

Wataniya earns USD372.5 million profit in 2009 (Kuwait)

On 04.06.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A net profit of KWD108.3 million (USD372.5 million) has been posted by Wataniya Telecom in the year 2009. There has been a rise from KWD82.4 million in 2008 reflecting 2009 as a profitable year for the company.

According to company chairman H.E. Sheikh Abdulla Bin Mohammed Bin Saud Al Thani, the company not only effectively dealt with continued competitive pressures particularly in its home market in Kuwait, but also delivered continuing positive results in other properties, and adding to this the successful launch of its operations in Palestine,

Wataniya looks forward to 2010 and seize on opportunities to further develop as a group and expand its customer base which stands today at over 15.2 million.

Largest proportion of the revenues i.e. 48% has been delivered by Wataniya Kuwait and the highest growth in the customer numbers was recorded in Algeria which was eight million. The customer base of Tunisia reached 5.21 million during 2009 while 110,000 customers were signed up by Wataniya’s newest subsidiary in Palestine.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Africa • Algeria • Kuwait • Launch • LG • Middle East • Net Profit • Palestine • Tunisia • Wataniya

Qtel signs framework agreement with NSN

On 02.10.10, In Mobile, By Editor

www.WirelessFederation.com/news: A global purchasing agreement has been signed between Qatar based Qtel and Nokia Siemens Networks covering its various international networks. Indonesia, Kuwait, Maldives, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia, Algeria and Palestine have the subsidiaries of the company. The initial term of the agreement is one year and may be extended at Qtel International’s option for up to two additional years.

According to Dr. Nasser Marafih, chief executive officer of The Qtel Group, partnership for the future will ensure the highest quality of network development supporting the firms strategy for business growth and the support of Nokia Siemens Networks will provide essential resources as they continue to enhance their operations.

Standard terms and volume-based discounted pricing for network equipment will be available to companies under the agreement.

Filed under:Mobile Tagged with: Africa • Algeria • Indonesia • Kuwait • LG • Maldives • Nokia • Nokia Siemens • Palestine • Qatar • Saudi Arabia • Tunisia