Vodacom revenue up as data usage climbs

South Africa’s biggest wireless phone operator, Vodacom, posted higher third-quarter profit as a rise in customers and mobile internet usage helped offset weaker business at its international units.

Vodacom, owned by United Kingdom-based Vodafone, said on Tuesday group revenue for the nine months to end-December increased 6% to R15,43-billion and mobile customers were up 9,5% to 40,5-million.

Customer growth in its main South African market rose 2,5% year-on-year to 27,1-million.

The company, which operates mobile networks in four other countries in Africa, said the strength of the rand currency had hit its international markets like Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Group data revenue climbed 33,2% to R1,19-billion, with data revenue growth in South Africa up 35,2% as more people used their mobiles to connect to the internet. Broadband customers in South Africa rose 48,8%.—Reuters