SingTel posts rise in profit for fiscal Q3

Singapore Telecom (SingTel) has reported a 10% rise in underlying net profit for its fiscal third quarter, making SGD747 million (USD457 million) in the three months to 31 December, inline with market forecasts. The operator said it expects to see an underlying net profit of SGD2.9 billion for the full year to the end of March 2005, an increase of 15% on the previous year. Pre-tax profits for the quarter rose 28% to SGD320 million. SingTel attributed the gains to strong customer growth at its Australian unit Optus, Indonesia’s Telkomsel and Indian subsidiary Bharti-Televentures.