Macedonian cellular operator VIP Mobile, part of the Telekom Austria Group, reported a 22.5% year-on-year increase in revenues to EUR13.6 million (USD17.6 million) in the first three months of this year, up from EUR11.1 million in the corresponding year-earlier period. The carrier said that first-quarter turnover, including fee and traffic revenues and interconnection revenues, grew sharply as a result of an increase in the mobile subscriber base and rises in call volumes. VIP Mobile closed out March 2012 with a total of 581,100 mobile users, up 18.5% from 490,500 a year before, helping it to increase its market share from 21.5% to 26.1%. Monthly blended average revenue per user (ARPU) increased by 9.6% y-o-y to EUR7.2.
Further, VIP Mobile reported that earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) grew from a negative EUR400,000 in 1Q11 to positive EUR3 million in 1Q12, thanks to higher revenues and a reduction of operating expenses. Finally, the cellco’s operating loss (EBIT) improved by 35.7% to EUR1.9 million in the first quarter of 2012, compared to a loss of EUR3 mllion in 1Q11.