NEW DELHI: Vodafone India saw its second-quarter service revenue grow by 6.4 percent year-on-year to GBP 1.5 billion, as voice revenue returned to growth and regulatory impacts reduced, parent company Vodafone reported. Excluding regulatory drags including MTR cuts, roaming price caps and an increase in service tax, service revenue grew 7.7 percent.
Data browsing revenue jumped by 22.3 percent, slowed from the pace of prior quarters, reflecting lower customer growth. The operator’s active data customer base increased to 69.7 million customers from 66.8 million one year ago. The 3G/4G customer base grew to 32.3 million, up 46 percent, and smartphone penetration in Vodafone India’s four biggest urban areas is now 54 percent.
The total number of Vodafone India mobile customers increased by 1.4 million, bringing the total customer base at 199.4 million at 30 June. The operator also reports it has added 3,300 new 3G sites in the quarter, taking the total to 59,000 and its population coverage to 96 percent of target urban areas. Vodafone India has 9,700 4G sites with coverage of 45 percent of its data revenues across five key circles. The operator expects 4G coverage to increase to over 60 percent of its data revenues by year-end, ahead of the upcoming spectrum auction. The operator has also announced that preparations continue for a potential IPO of Vodafone India.
