147 million-euro operating profits for Orange in H1

Mobile operator Orange Romania registered revenues worth 281 million euros in the first half of this year, in comparison to 206 million euros in the same period last year.

The company’s operating profit before amortisation expenses stood at 147 million euros, in comparison to 108 million euros in the first half of last year. The company’s number of customers also rose, from 2.59 million at the end of June 2003, to 3.95 million in June 30th 2004. This represents the largest increase experienced out of all Orange’s worldwide units (52.8%).

The company’s target as regards revenues in 2004 stands at 525 million euros, 20% higher than last year. There are also high chances that this figure might be exceeded. The only index to follow a descending tendency is the company’s average revenue per user, calculated per year (ARPU), which has fallen to an average of 158 euros, against 177 euros in the first half of last year.

The mobile telephony operator announced it has kick-started procedures for the acquisition of a 3G telephony licence. Orange is preparing EDGE, a high-speed Internet access service and has launched Wirefree Broadband, an Internet connection service through radio waves, currently only available in the Baneasa residential district.

The main shareholder of Orange Romania is the Orange telecommunications group, a division of France Telecom, which controls 67.8% of the stock. The mobile telephony operator began functioning in 1997, under the Dialog brand-name. In 2002 it took over the name of its parent company.

The Orange group will issue a decision over the coming weeks with regard to the naming of the new executive manager of Orange Romania, after the departure of Bernard Moscheni for the Belgian operator Mobistar.

On Tuesday, Bernard Moscheni had already left for Belgium and Orange Romania commercial director Yves Gauthier was also out of the country and thus unavailable for comment.
dan.dragomir@zf.ro