Optus has posted third quarter revenue and net profit growth, seeing its 4G subscriber numbers rise, however recording a fall in its total number of mobile subscribers year-on-year.
Optus’ operating revenue was up 6 per cent year-on-year to $2.43 billion, which it attributed to strong equipment sales and sustained growth across its mobile and fixed businesses, with net profit of $227 million up 9.1 per cent.
Optus’s mobile revenue for the quarter was $1.62 billion, up 5.8 per cent year-on-year. During the quarter, Optus grew its total number of 4G subscribers to 4.45 million, up 39.7 per cent year-on-year, however its total number of mobile subscribers dropped 0.2 per cent to 9.37 million.
While Optus’ mobile subscribers were down year-on-year, it did post a 12,000 subscriber increase on the previous quarter.
Optus states that 4G Plus customers now account for 47 per cent of its total mobile customer base.
Meanwhile, in its mass market fixed segment, Optus attributed a 6 per cent rise in operating revenue to growth in its NBN customer base and increased take up of Optus TV, with Optus now having 88,000 NBN customers and a total of 1.04 million broadband customers.
Optus was the largest bidder in the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s recent 1800 MHz band auction with $196 million, in which telcos spent a total of $543.5 million.
Extending the reach of its 4G Plus network will be a focus for Optus in the coming quarter.
