ingaporean fixed and mobile operator StarHub announced a net profit of SGD81 million (USD55.9 million) for the quarter ended 30 September 2007, up 20% year-on-year, driven by an 11% rise in operating revenue from SGD461 million to SGD513 million. The group’s EBITDA rose 5% to SGD164 million, compared with SGD157 million in Q306, while CAPEX remained broadly unchanged at SGD44 million.
StarHub’s mobile arm was the primary revenue generator, with sales from cellular services climbing 14% y-o-y to SGD266 million from SGD234 million in the corresponding period of 2006. Post-paid mobile services revenue grew 12% to SGD198 million while pre-paid mobile services revenue rose 20% to SGD68 million. StarHub said its ARPU levels were ‘strong’ in the latest quarter, at SGD78 (contract) and SGD26 (pre-paid), respectively. By the end of September the company had 1.68 million users (+15%), of which 794,000 were post-paid customers, and 40% were on 3G plans.
The telco’s broadband operation registered 12% growth to SGD62 million, buoyed by rising broadband ARPU, up SGD1at SGD60. StarHub had 338,000 high speed internet users at end-September, up 10% year-on-year. Cable TV revenues also saw 9% growth to SGD86 million and the fixed network business recorded a 4% improvement to SGD73 million, largely the result of higher data & internet revenue growth, which expanded 16% y-o-y.