GSM operators revenue rise to 14 per cent

New Delhi, Sep 5 (UNI) The private GSM Mobile Operators have recorded a rise of 14 per cent in revenues in the first quarter of the current financial year (April-June) but has witnessed a fall in Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) of Rs 28 per subscriber.

The Adjusted gross revenue has increased from Rs 4,942 crore for quarter ending March 06 to Rs 5,621 crore for the quarter ending June 06, apex body for GSM operators COAI has said.

On a year-on-year basis, the first quarter of the current financial year has witnessed a 49 per cent rise in revenues as compared to the first quarter of the previous financial year.

The revenues of private GSM mobile operators have risen from Rs 3,760 crore for April to June 05 quarter to Rs 5,621 crs for April to June 06 quarter.

In spite of a rise in the ARPU, the private GSM industry has witnessed a fall in ARPU since the September 05 quarter.

The average industry ARPU has fallen from Rs 375 for Sept 05 quarter to Rs 347 for June 2006 quarter; a fall in Average Revenue Pere User (ARPU) of Rs 28 per subscriber since September 05 (a decline of per cent).

Thus, although the revenues have risen consistently over the four quarters (since September 05), the private GSM Service providers have witnessed a continuous decline in ARPU.

Director General COAI T V Ramachandran pointed out that continuous decline in ARPU is a strong evidence of the ever improving affordability of the GSM Mobile service, as a result of which the GSM service is achieving-increasing growth levels.

UNI/RT CS PC1640