Associates continue to post double-digit growth year-on-year

Singapore and Australia prove resilient

Singapore, 13 May 2009 -- Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) announced that the Group continued its strong growth in customer acquisitions and added 35 per cent more or 64 million customers year-on-year, to bring its combined regional mobile customer base to 249 million as at 31 March 2009.

The Group’s aggregate mobile customer base in all eight markets, Australia, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand, grew 7.3 per cent, or 17 million on a sequential quarterly basis despite the intense competition in the markets and the slowdown in the economies.

The proportionate mobile customer base rose 33 per cent from a year ago or 7.0 per cent from a quarter ago.

    




















*Proportionate base represents the number of mobile customers of an associate  multiplied by the SingTel Group’s effective percentage ownership in the venture at the respective dates.

Double-digit customer growth from associates

The Group’s six regional associates continued to post double-digit customer growth of between 10 per cent and 52 per cent compared to a year ago.

Bharti, India’s number one mobile phone operator, posted the biggest jump in customer numbers among the associates.  Its mobile base reached 93.9 million customers as at 31 March 2009, an increase of 52 per cent from a year ago or 9.7 per cent from a quarter ago.

It also achieved its highest ever quarterly net additions of 8.3 million mobile customers this quarter and had 24.0 per cent market share of the total wireless subscriber base as at 31 March 2009.

Telkomsel grew its mobile customer base by 41 per cent or 20.8 million from a year ago.  In the quarter, the Indonesian operator added 6.8 million customers and grew its market share by 3 percentage points to 49 per cent as at 31 March 2009 from a quarter ago.

Thailand and the Philippines, the more mature markets, also posted strong mobile customer additions.  AIS added 2.5 million mobile subscribers or 10 per cent more from a year ago.  Globe added 4.5 million mobile customers or 21 per cent more from a year ago.

In Pakistan, Warid grew its total customer base by 3 million to 17.4 million, an increase of 21 per cent from a year ago.  PBTL's total mobile customer base in Bangladesh was 1.9 million, an increase of 315,000, or 20 per cent more from a year ago.

Optus maintains growth despite tough economic conditions  

Optus’ mobile customer base expanded 9.1 per cent from a year ago to 7.79 million as at 31 March 2009.

The solid growth was evidenced by the addition of 156,000 new mobile customers in the March quarter, including a total of 105,000 postpaid customers, driven by continuing strong demand for innovative offers including iPhone 3G, “Timeless” unlimited plans and wireless broadband.

The number of 3G subscribers increased to 2.58 million this quarter.

SingTel continues to lead Singapore market

SingTel extended its market share and leadership position in the mobile market in the quarter from a year ago.  It added 405,000 new customers, or 16 per cent more from a year ago, bringing its total mobile customer base to 2.98 million and extended its market share to 46.4 per cent as at 31 March 2009, an increase of 3.0 percentage points from a year ago.

A total of 34,000 new mobile customers were added during the quarter, of which 22,000 were postpaid net additions.

Demand for 3G services continued to remain strong, with 72,000 subscribers added.  As at 31 March 2009, SingTel’s total 3G mobile subscriber base reached 1.21 million. 

More information on the performance of the SingTel Group will be available when it announces its results for the fourth quarter and year ended 31 March 2009 on 14 May 2009.

About SingTel

SingTel is a strategic investor in the region’s most successful mobile operations.  It has a 21.35 per cent stake in Thailand’s Advanced Info Service (AIS).  In India, it has a 30.44 per cent effective interest in Bharti, the country’s largest GSM operator.  One of SingTel’s earliest investments in the region is Globe Telecom in the Philippines.  Today, it has a 47.34 per cent stake in Globe.  SingTel has a 35 per cent stake in Indonesia’s largest mobile operator, Telkomsel.  It also has a 45 per cent stake in Pacific Bangladesh Telecom Limited (PBTL) and a 30 per cent stake in Warid Telecom in Pakistan.  More information can be found at www.singtel.com and www.optus.com.au.