Singapore Telecommunications (Singtel) reported net profit of SGD939 million (USD709.4 million) for its fiscal fourth-quarter ended 31 March 2015, compared to SGD898 million in the same period last year, driven by strong performances both in its home market and for its regional mobile associates. Singtel, southeast Asia’s biggest mobile group by subscribers, owns significant stakes in a number of other Asian cellcos – including Optus (Australia), India’s Bharti Airtel, Telkomsel (Indonesia), Thailand’s Advanced Info Service (AIS), Filipino operator Globe Telecom and Pacific Bangladesh Telecom. The city-state group’s total mobile subscriber base, including associates, rose 8% last year to 555 million, it said, helping fuel a 5.1% rise in quarterly revenues to SGD4.34 billion from SGD4.13 billion previously.
Full-year revenue increased by 2.2% y-o-y to SGD17.22 billion as net profits rose 3.5% to SGD3.78 billion. ‘The group and its associates successfully captured the strong growth in mobile data services, with strategic investments in networks, distribution, customer initiatives and support,’ the group reported in its financial update, adding: ‘To capitalise on the potential of mobile data services in the emerging markets, the regional mobile associates continued to invest in spectrum and build next generation data networks.’ Singtel said it expects its revenue from its core business to grow at ‘mid- single digit’ levels this year, adding that it plans to increase its focus on digital marketing, video services and advanced analytics.