Turk Telekom 1Q12 net profit rises to TRY772m

Turk Telekom has reported revenues of TRY2.960 billion (USD1.65 billion) for the three months ended 31 March 2012, up 3{e1f18614b95d3cd6e4b3128e1cd15d99b042a60a5a19c19b7a8e07e7495efa10} compared to TRY2.887 billion in the same period a year ago. Operating profit for the first quarter dropped from TRY874 million to TRY817 million year-on-year, while Turk Telekom reported net income of TRY772 million, up 27{e1f18614b95d3cd6e4b3128e1cd15d99b042a60a5a19c19b7a8e07e7495efa10} y-o-y, from TRY609 million in 1Q11. CAPEX for January–March increased to TRY405 million. The telco credits the improved figures to solid growth from its broadband and mobile units, supported by successful cross-selling activities; 1Q12 also saw partnerships established with a number of leading brands, offering voice customers product discounts in a variety of sectors, including travel, energy and home electronics.
In operational terms, Turk Telekom’s broadband customer base rose to seven million by 1 April 2012, up 5{e1f18614b95d3cd6e4b3128e1cd15d99b042a60a5a19c19b7a8e07e7495efa10} from 6.72 million a year earlier. In contrast, fixed PSTN lines fell from just under 15.8 million to 15.0 million. Turk Telekom’s mobile unit Avea saw its subscriber base grow 9{e1f18614b95d3cd6e4b3128e1cd15d99b042a60a5a19c19b7a8e07e7495efa10} year-on-year to 12.9 million; of these, 7.2 million were on pre-paid plans. Post-paid subscribers are driving growth however, increasing by around 700,000 subscribers year-on-year, to 5.7 million.