MTS India ARPU for Q4 & FY 2012 increased by 2% to Rs 79

India’s pure play CDMA voice and data service provider Sistema Shyam Teleservices Ltd (SSTL), which operates under MTS Indiabrand has announched unaudited financial report for fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2012.

In February, 2012 Supreme Court of India cancelled 21 licences of MTS India excluding Rajasthan. However the company won back spectrum in 800MHz band in Delhi, Kolkata, Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh (West) & West Bengal. In this 9 circles, MTS is likely to reach 40% of population, 60% of data potential and safegaurding 75% of company’s current revenues.

Key Financial & Operational Highlights for the Fourth Quarter and for FY 2012:

• SSTL’s focus during the quarter was on retaining subscribers, controlling expenses and preparing for auction participation.

• Inspite of the uncertainties, SSTL’s revenue remained largely stable in Q4 and continued to expand year-on-year. Consolidated revenues for the quarter down by just 3% to INR 3,902 million (USD 72 million) but for the full year up by 31% to INR 16,192 million (USD 303 million).

• Non Voice revenues now contribute 36.8% of total quarterly revenues and the contribution has increased by 15bps for the quarter. Non-voice revenues from both data and mobile VAS for the quarter declined by 3% to INR 1,437 million (USD 27 million) but for the full year 2012 improved by 56% to INR 5,831 million (USD 109 million).

• Blended mobile ARPU for the quarter increased by 2% to INR 79 but for the full year 2012 declined by 3% to INR 81.

• SSTL’s data card subscriber base for the quarter declined by 2% to 1.78 million subscribers. The data card subscriber base declined mainly due to uncertainties and the new regulatory requirements for customer registration.

• The Company recorded lowest full year OIBDA loss in last three years. Consolidated OIBDA loss for the quarter and year stands at INR 2,786 million (USD 51 million) and INR 14,456 million (USD 271 million), respectively. Yearly OIBDA margins improved 64 p.p.

• SSTL’s mobile subscriber base declined by 10.5% quarter-on-quarter and reached 14.89 million customers as of December 31st, 2012. SSTL’s mobile subscribers’ MoU for Q4 2012 improved to 268 min vs. 263 min in Q3
2012. The MoU increased due to increase in traffic in the festive season.

• The CAPEX investments made by SSTL in India at the end of 31st December 2012 stands at INR 65.68 billion, it includes investment of INR 182 million made during Q4 2012. Consolidated debt from banks and financial institutions at the end of 31st December 2012 stands at INR 56.7 billion.