Tele2’s 1Q revenues up 16%, but profits halve

Sweden’s Tele2 group has reported a 16% year-on-year rise in first quarter revenues to SEK13.5 billion (USD1.83 billion), whilst its three-month net profits more than halved to SEK230 million, from SEK483 million in 1Q 2005. EBITDA amounted to SEK1.37 billion, slightly down from SEK 1.41 billion in the corresponding period last year. Mobile telephony customer intake increased from 429,000 to 909,000, while broadband intake rose from 41,000 to 147,000. Net fixed telephony intake fell from a gain of 354,000 to a loss of 578,000. Group ARPU amounted to SEK147, compared with SEK144 in Q12005 and SEK157 in the previous quarter.