In the first quarter of 2013, Telenor Group reported revenues of NOK 24.7 billion. EBITDA before other items was NOK 8.42 billion, EBITDA margin was 34 %, and operating cash flow was NOK 5.6 billion.

“The first quarter of 2013 is characterised by a solid operating cash flow of NOK 5.6 billion, strong margins in several operations and good progress in operational performance in India. The strengthened EBITDA margin of 34% is further supported by a higher share of bundled subscriptions and good network quality in the Norwegian operation,’’ said Jon Fredrik Baksaas, President and CEO of Telenor Group.

“The organic revenue growth for the Group this quarter is weaker than previous quarters due to lower growth contribution from India and handset sales, as well as regulatory factors. However, we regard the underlying trends as positive. We see healthy mobile service revenue growth in our operations in Norway and Thailand contributing to solid margins, as well as strong customer acquisition in Bangladesh. Regulatory issues impacted our performance in Pakistan this quarter however we now see sales picking up. During this quarter, dtac in Thailand completed a nationwide network upgrade and is preparing for the launch of 3G services on the 2.1 GHz frequency band in the second quarter. This will represent an important milestone in the transition from a concession to a licencing regime,’’ said Baksaas.

“In Norway, we continue to invest to secure our customers’ access to superior mobile network coverage and high quality of services. We have recently adjusted our mobile market offers to adapt to changing customer needs and the transition to data. We see positive effects from operational efficiency this quarter, and regard this as a key contributor to value creation going forward, ” said Baksaas.

“To enable our customers to take advantage of the opportunities that the Internet offers, we need to be responsive to change. The growth in demand for data centric services requires significant investments in high-speed networks. It is therefore paramount that we continue to implement sustainable business models to secure long-term return on these investments,” said Baksaas.

“Based on the performance in the first quarter and our estimates for the rest of the year, we adjust the 2013 outlook for organic revenue growth somewhat to 2-4%. At the same time, we maintain the outlook for EBITDA margin and capex/sales.” said Baksaas.

Click here  to read the full press release.

Please refer to Telenor Group’s quarterly report  for more information on all Telenor companies. www.telenor.com

Neterra has contracted two transponders on TSBc’s THOR 6 satellite, located at 1˚West, one of the fastest-growing orbital positions for Central and Eastern Europe. The capacity will be utilised for video distribution in Bulgaria, where Neterra plans to offer other operators a premium pay-tv platform, delivering a high-quality and highly reliable service, using the latest available technology.

The arrival of Neterra gives another boost to the local and international channel line-up available at 1˚West, which distributes more than 700 TV and radio channels.

Lars Janols, Commercial Director of TSBc, commented: “1˚West is now a well-recognised broadcast position in CEE and reaches more than 17 million households across Europe. We are seeing a more buoyant take-up of pay-tv services within this region and we welcome and look forward to working with Neterra in developing its DTH proposition for the Bulgarian market.”

“Neterra has more than 18 years of expertise in providing and supporting broadcasting services in Bulgaria,” said Neven Dilkov, CEO of Neterra. “Our new Bulgarian DTH service will offer a bouquet of premium-quality channels, which will deliver a superior TV experience.”

Neterra expects the first operators that will utilise the new DTH platform to launch within the next few months, carrying more than 60 of the Bulgarian market’s most popular local and international channels. Neterra plans to expand this channel line-up rapidly to include local and international HD channels.

About Neterra
Neterra is the preferred Bulgarian operator for complex telecommunications services and projects in Southeast Europe and has 17 years of history. Neterra’s dedication to providing first-class service at every step of the way, from infrastructure to future technologies, makes it one of the leading companies in the region. Neterra supports a portfolio of integrated global communication solutions based on the latest fibre, IP and satellite transmission technologies. We are known for reliable VPN services and data networks, Internet access, co-location, construction and maintenance of satellite systems. Neterra’s data network covers all major cities in Bulgaria and through our partners and operators we reach points across the entire world. Its reliable and secure DWDM, MPLS-based network has been engineered to provide the highest levels of availability, efficiency, flexibility and quality of service. For more information about Neterra, please visit www.neterra.net

(Fornebu 01.29.2013) Morten Tengs (51) has been appointed as the new CEO at Telenor Satellite Broadcasting (TSBc). Mr.Tengs comes from the position as Senior Vice President at Telenor Group’s regional office for Asia, in Bangkok. He succeeds Cato Halsaa, who is to retire this summer.

 “Morten Tengs will be starting in his new role this summer. His broad experience and competence from executive positions in several Telenor companies, will be an important contribution to further development of Telenor Satellite Broadcasting,” says Telenor Broadcast SVP & CEO Patrik Hofbauer, who is also chairman for TSBc.

 “I am impressed that TSBc has taken such an important position in the market, whilst at the same time renewing their fleet of satellites. The last addition is the THOR 7 satellite, which will be ready for operation as of 2014. I look forward to taking over the lead of the company, and I am delighted for the opportunity to work with such motivated and highly skilled employees. I would also like to thank Cato Halsaa for the dedication and hard work he has invested in TSBc, which has contributed to a company well positioned for future growth,” says Mr. Tengs.

Morten Tengs has since June 2011 been a part of Telenor Group’s regional management team in Asia, and is today also member of the board at dtac, DiGi, Telenor Pakistan and Grameenphone. Mr. Tengs has been part of the Telenor Group since 1995 and has held a number of executive positions in, amongst others, Telenor Global Services, Telenor Corporate Development and Telenor Satellite Services. Mr. Tengs is a graduated engineer from AiD (Grimstad, Norway), and holds a Master degree in Economics, from the Norwegian business School BI.

Photo of Morten Tengs can be downloaded here:

Second quarter 2012: Sound operational performance 

(Oslo, Norway) In the second quarter of 2012, Telenor Group reported revenues of NOK 25.4 billion, representing an organic revenue growth of five per cent. EBITDA before other items was NOK eight billion, EBITDA margin was 31.7% and operating cash flow was NOK 5.1 billion. With five million new customers added in the period, Telenor’s total subscription base has now passed 150 million.

“The Telenor Group’s improved operational performance resulted in more than five per cent organic revenue growth and solid margin improvement in the second quarter. Our presence in the Nordic region and the growing Asian economies demonstrates the benefits of the geographical diversification in the Group. Our consolidated mobile operations added five million new customers during this period, bringing the subscription base above the 150 million mark,” said Jon Fredrik Baksaas, President and CEO of Telenor Group.

 Improved performance in Norway
“In Norway, we continue to invest to strengthen our superior coverage position, enable new content services and manage the rapid transition to data. So far this year, we have invested two billion Norwegian kroner and expect to invest four billion this year. I am also pleased to see our Norwegian mobile operation steadily improving its performance through healthy customer growth and lower operating expenses. The migration to bundled tariffs continues and contributes to revenue growth. The decline in fixed telephony continues and requires further efforts to maintain profitability,” said Baksaas.

Strong growth and margins in Pakistan and Malaysia
“We see continued good development in Telenor Pakistan and in DiGi in Malaysia with strong growth and margins. The Broadcast business delivers another solid quarter following good performance in all areas. Challenging market conditions in Denmark and Bangladesh resulted in weaker than expected revenue development this quarter,” said Baksaas.

 Re-allocation of resources in India
“Uninor in India managed to add more than two million subscribers this quarter. Impressive efforts are being made to keep up momentum during this challenging period. As a response to the uncertain regulatory environment we are now re-allocating resources to the nine most profitable circles. In this manner, we aim to shorten the time and reduce the cost for the operation to become self-financed, thereby reducing the risk of the India investment,” said Baksaas.

 New buy-back programme
“For the third year in a row, we initiate a new share buy-back programme of three per cent of the outstanding shares. With this buyback programme as a supplement to the dividends paid in May a total of approximately 12.6 billion Norwegian kroner will be returned to our shareholders in 2012, thereby confirming our ambition to deliver healthy shareholder remuneration,” said Baksaas.

Key figures
The table below contains key figures for the first quarter of 2012:

For more information please refer to the quarterly report on http://telenor.com/investor-relations/reports/2012/q2/.

Contact:
Tor Odland, Vice President, Group Communications
Tel: +47 99090872, E-mail: tor.odland@telenor.com

As well as a contract with the BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) signed in 2011 for capacity on TSBc’s IS 10-02 satellite at 1° West, TSBc has agreed deals with other major broadcasters, including TV 2 Denmark and Danmarks Radio, to meet their capacity requirements throughout the Olympics, which start on July 27.

As the BBC’s preferred provider of satellite capacity during the London Olympics, TSBc will provide both its news and sports division with a combined satellite bandwidth of 54MHz. BBC Sports has booked 27MHz throughout the Olympics (with an additional 9MHz guaranteed for coverage on certain event days) which will be used in addition to its own fibre solution – thereby ensuring continuity of coverage and avoiding the risk that viewers might miss record-breaking moments in the event of technical problems. The news channel will utilise its allocated 18MHz of satellite capacity for live news feeds in and around London.

Danish national broadcaster, Danmarks Radio (DR) has booked 18MHz bandwidth, which it will make use of its allocated capacity for broadcast news reports and event updates from various London Olympics locations.

“From our attractive orbital position at 1° West, TSBc is well placed to provide dynamic bandwidth plans, high-quality power levels and suitable footprint coverage”, said Lisa Barlow, Sales Director, Occasional Broadcasting at TSBc. “It is great to be working with so many European broadcasters for such a high-profile event”.

TSBc has boosted its customer service and support team to ensure that our broadcasters enjoy smooth transmissions during this important broadcasting period.

Contact: Natasha Keech +44 7740 450 852