Vodacom posts double-digit rise in customer numbers
Democratic Republic of Congo is the group’s fastest-growing market by customer numbers
Vodacom’s December quarter update goes some way to explain the 20% run in the mobile network operator’s share price over the past few weeks. The group’s overall revenue for the three months to end-December grew 6.7% to R22.6bn, while its total customer numbers grew 13% to 74-million at the end of 2017, from 65-million the year before, Wednesday’s update shows. About 80% of Vodacom’s revenue comes from SA, with Tanzania, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Mozambique and Lesotho contributing the balance. Vodacom’s South African revenue grew 6.2% to R18.2bn. It increased its local prepaid customer numbers by 16.3% to 36.3-million at December 31, from 31.2-million at the end of 2016. Contract customers grew a less impressive 2.5% to 5.3-million. Though customers numbers grew, Vodacom’s average revenue per user (arpu) per month declined from both its prepaid and contract subscribers. Prepaid customers spent R59 a month on average during the December quarter, versus R64 in the matching p...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.