Turkcell 1Q13 revenues up 13% to TRY2.7bn

Istanbul-based telecoms group Turkcell has reported group revenue of TRY2.69 billion (USD1.50 billion) for the three months ended 31 March 2013, representing a 13% rise year-on-year. EBITDA increased 15% y-o-y to TRY808 million and net income grew 9.9% to TRY565 million. Despite steady expansion in its domestic market, Turkcell credits its impressive growth to the contribution of its international subsidiaries, which posted combined revenues of TRY488 million (up 23% y-o-y), ‘maintaining growth momentum while increasing operational profitability’; Turkcell’s domestic revenues edged up 11% to TRY2.20 billion for the quarter.

In its home market Turkcell reported a 4.2% annual increase in its mobile customer base, to 34.9 million, from 34.5 million one year earlier. The bulk of the net new additions were post-paid subscribers – up 12.5% to 13.5 million – whilst pre-paid subscriptions declined 4.9% to 21.4 million. Blended average revenue per user (ARPU) increased 9.4% on an annualised basis, to TRY21 per month for 1Q13, while minutes of use jumped by 7.8% to 238.8 minutes on the back of enhanced tariff offers. Meanwhile, the company’s fixed broadband subsidiary Superonline, which is in the process of rolling out a nationwide fibre-optic (FTTx) network, passed approximately 1.4 million homes at the end of 1Q13; as at 1 April Superonline had notched up 464,000 FTTx subscribers, a 51.7% improvement y-o-y. The unit’s contribution to Turkcell group financials continued to improve, recording 40.2% annual revenue growth, to TRY203.3 million.

In Ukraine, Turkcell’s 53% owned subsidiary Astelit, ended the quarter with 8.2 million ‘active’ subscribers, up from 7.1 million a year earlier, with the unit’s total subscriber base rising 1.2 million to 11.1 million. Fintur, which has interests in wireless operators in Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Moldova and Georgia, and in which Turkcell owns a 41.45% stake, ended March with 21.4 million customers, up 15.1% year-on-year.