Bangkok Post (30 Oct 2007)
AIS, DTAC revise down revenue targets SRISAMORN PHOOSUPHANUSORN. The local mobile-phone market faced slowing subscriber growth in the third quarter in the face of a number shortage and shrinking consumer spending due to the sluggish economy. The result has prompted the two SET-listed mobile operators, Advanced Info Service (AIS) and DTAC, to revise down their revenue growth and subscriber sales targets. Market leader AIS had 800,000 net new subscribers and second-ranked DTAC 400,000 in the three months to Sept 30. In comparison, AIS gained 1.57 million customers in the first quarter and 1.5 million in the second quarter of this year. DTAC added 1.46 million and 1.15 million customers, respectively. Net new subscribers of the three main operators including third-ranked True Move are expected to total nine million for the full year. Thana Thienachariya, chief commercial officer of DTAC, said the drop in the third quarter was largely due to the shortage of numbers allocated by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). In July in particular, he said, DTAC gained no net new customers because of the delay in the number allocation. He admitted that DTAC was likely to revise down its 15% revenue growth target this year, but he declined to give a figure. The new customer target, he added, would be 3.2 million, down from four million projected earlier this year. Total Access Communication (DTAC) reported that its third-quarter profit rose 14% on a 33% increase in revenue from interconnection charges. Net profit increased to 1.4 billion baht on revenue of 16.4 billion. But if the interconnection revenue is deducted, revenue increased just 4% from the year earlier. DTAC had 14.9 million customers as of Sept 30. AIS president Wichian Mektrakarn said that even though his company would maintain its revenue target of 90 billion baht this year, it was likely to miss its profit target due to the price war in the second quarter and the overall economic slowdown. However, both AIS and DTAC believe that mobile subscriber penetration would reach 80% by the end of this year, with a total of 52 million subscribers. Net new subscribers are expected at 12 million this year.
AIS, DTAC revise down revenue targets SRISAMORN PHOOSUPHANUSORN. The local mobile-phone market faced slowing subscriber growth in the third quarter in the face of a number shortage and shrinking consumer spending due to the sluggish economy. The result has prompted the two SET-listed mobile operators, Advanced Info Service (AIS) and DTAC, to revise down their revenue growth and subscriber sales targets. Market leader AIS had 800,000 net new subscribers and second-ranked DTAC 400,000 in the three months to Sept 30. In comparison, AIS gained 1.57 million customers in the first quarter and 1.5 million in the second quarter of this year. DTAC added 1.46 million and 1.15 million customers, respectively. Net new subscribers of the three main operators including third-ranked True Move are expected to total nine million for the full year. Thana Thienachariya, chief commercial officer of DTAC, said the drop in the third quarter was largely due to the shortage of numbers allocated by the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC). In July in particular, he said, DTAC gained no net new customers because of the delay in the number allocation. He admitted that DTAC was likely to revise down its 15% revenue growth target this year, but he declined to give a figure. The new customer target, he added, would be 3.2 million, down from four million projected earlier this year. Total Access Communication (DTAC) reported that its third-quarter profit rose 14% on a 33% increase in revenue from interconnection charges. Net profit increased to 1.4 billion baht on revenue of 16.4 billion. But if the interconnection revenue is deducted, revenue increased just 4% from the year earlier. DTAC had 14.9 million customers as of Sept 30. AIS president Wichian Mektrakarn said that even though his company would maintain its revenue target of 90 billion baht this year, it was likely to miss its profit target due to the price war in the second quarter and the overall economic slowdown. However, both AIS and DTAC believe that mobile subscriber penetration would reach 80% by the end of this year, with a total of 52 million subscribers. Net new subscribers are expected at 12 million this year.
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