Vodafone Dials Up Record Growth

By David Utter
Expert Author
Article Date: 2005-07-25

The world's largest mobile phone business scored big in its first quarter by adding over 4.1 million customers.

Vodafone's customer increase for the period was 35 percent greater than the same period last year, the company said in a press release. The results surpassed analyst expectations in several European markets, like Germany, Italy, and the UK.

The company's customer base now rests at over 165 million people. Its revenues have increase 8.6 percent year on year. Vodafone CEO Arun Sarin reaffirmed the company's guidance on its full year estimates through March 2006.

"We have seen strong performances across Europe and in the US, and we continue to focus on improving our business in Japan," said Mr. Sarin. Japan was a dull spot for Vodafone, as it saw a drop of 72,000 customers for the quarter despite gaining 5,000 in June.

Vodafone attributes this to competition in the Japanese market, as its annual average revenue per user (ARPU) fell slightly there. But Vodafone has added operations in Romania and the Czech Republic, which combined delivered about 7 million customers to the company.

About the Author:
David Utter is a staff writer for WebProNews covering technology and business. Email him here.