TM’s regional mobile customer base grows to 28 mln

Kuala Lumpur -- Telekom Malaysia Berhad (TM), the emerging leader in Asian communications with operations in nine Asian countries, recorded yet another impressive growth of 39.7 percent in regional mobile subscriber numbers, growing from 20.4 million a year ago to 28.5 million as at end-December 2006.

Its subsidiaries in Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Bangladesh were key contributors to this growth. ”International operations continue to contribute significantly due to our efforts to derive synergy and enhance value from our investments,” Yusof Annuar Yaacob, Chief Executive Officer of TM International Sdn Bhd, TM’s international investment arm, said in a statement issued this week.
“For the 2006 financial year, international operations in revenue terms continued to grow from RM1,809 million (FY2005) to RM4,165 million (FY2006)1 (USD1 = RM3.6662).

This represents a 25 percent contribution to TM Group revenues (which stood at RM16.4 billion in 2006), up from 13 percent in 2005. Total international capital expenditure stood at RM2,832 million, up 19percent from 2005, driven primarily by aggressive network expansion in Indonesia,” Yusof added.

Headquartered in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, TM’s Asian mobile operations include stakes in Indonesia’s PT Excelcomindo Pratama Tbk (59.63 percent), Bangladesh’s TM International Bangladesh Limited (70 percent), Sri Lanka’s Dialog Telekom Limited (89.62 percent), India’s Spice Communications Limited (49 percent), Singapore’s MobileOne Limited (29.79 percent), Cambodia’s Telekom Malaysia International Cambodia Company Limited (100 percent) and 1 For 2005, TM International figures include 2 months of PT Excelcomindo Pratama (XL)’s contribution.

Yusof explained that in 2007, TM will adopt a two-pronged strategy; firstly, to consolidate its leading position in existing regional markets, and secondly, study all new commercial opportunities in Asia in detail, with great focus on the Indochina market, in order to grow its existing regional footprint. “We will give particular focus on the dynamic economies of Indochina since these markets have great growth potential in the telecommunications sector,” he added.