Pannon GSM, the Hungarian mobile operator owned by Telenor of Norway, reported revenues of HUF143.1 billion (USD695.3 million) for the nine months to 30 September, up 3.2% on the corresponding year-ago period, as its subscriber base climbed by 130,000 to around 3.19 million. It reported some success in improving its customer mix, signing up 171,000 new post-paid contracts in the twelve months to 30 September, boosting the proportion of contract accounts by four percentage points to 38%. The cellco had EBITDA of HUF56.12 billion, up 10% year-on-year, and its EBITDA margin improved from 36.7% to 39.2% . Capex in the period stood at HUF15.3 billion, unchanged on the previous year, although blended monthly ARPU dipped by 6% to HUF5,009.
According to official data from the regulator, the National Telecommunications Authority (NHH), Pannon GSM claimed a 33.63% share of Hungary’s 9.5 million-strong mobile market at the end of August 2006.