Telecom Italia revenue up 4.5% at 7.39 billion euros in Q1 2012

Telecom Lead Europe: Telecom Italia, Italy’s largest
phone company, has posted a 4.5 percent increase in revenues at 7.39 billion
euros for the first quarter of 2012, as compared to 7.03 billion euros for Q1
2011.

The company’s net income stood at 606 million euros ($785
million), as compared to 549 million euros a year earlier.

 

Domestic fixed-line and mobile revenue dropped 2.9
percent to 3.24 billion euros and 1.7 percent to 1.65 billion euros
respectively in the first quarter.

 

The company’s capex stood at 589 million euros, down 11.2
percent, as compared to 663 million euros a year earlier. Capex for the first
quarter represents 13.1 percent of the total revenue earned by the company.

 

The company’s Brazil unit posted revenue of 1.9 billion
euros, representing 17.1 percent Y-o-Y growth. Argentina operations posted
revenue of 901 million euros, representing 19.7 percent Y-o-Y growth.

 

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and
amortization advanced 1.2 percent to 2.96 billion euros. The company reiterated
a February forecast of essentially unchanged” revenue and Ebitda this year.

 

Adjusted net debt fell to 30.3 billion euros at the end
of March from 30.4 billion euros at the end of last year. The company repeated
a forecast that adjusted net debt will fall to about 27.5 billion euros at the
end of this year.

 

Recently, Telecom Italia said that its board planned to
examine strategic options” in relation to its stake in television
business Telecom Italia Media SpA. (TME) The company also said it’s
beginning the process to sell its media business to focus on core activities.

 

Telecom Italia controls 77.7 percent of its TV arm, which
owns the La7 channel and controls MTV Italia. The business also has
broadcasting infrastructure assets.

 

Despite the complex economic context, the domestic
market reported significant signs of recovery in revenue trends in the first
quarter, sustaining margins of around 50 percent. The excellent performance
of Latin America continues,” said Franco Bernabe, Executive Chairman.

 

Telecom Italia starts public trials of new LTE 4G technology in
Turin

 

During the quarter, Telecom Italia announced that it is
launching public trials of new services based on LTE 4G technology in Turin,
Italy.

 

The company said that Turin people will be able to use
its ultra-broadband services by using the next-generation mobile network at
connection speeds of up to 100 Megabits per second.

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