Orange reported that revenues were 9.672 billion euros in the first quarter of 215 with the decrease limited to 0.9% on a comparable basis.
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That confirms an improving trend observed in the European countries primarily related to mobile services and mobile equipment sales, while steady growth continued in Africa and the Middle East.
Excluding the impact of regulatory measures, revenues were almost stable in the 1st quarter of 2015 (-0.3%), versus a decrease of 3.0% in the 1st quarter of 2014.
Restated EBITDA was 2.916 billion euros. Continuing efforts to reduce indirect costs halved the decline in restated EBITDA to -55 million euros in the 1st quarter of 2015, compared to a decline of 120 million euros in the 1st quarter of 2014, on a comparable basis.
The ratio of restated EBITDA to revenues was 30.1%, a limited decrease of 0.3 percentage points compared with the 1st quarter of 2014.
2.8 million customers were added to the Group’s customer base during the quarter, with 10.9 million net additions year on year on a comparable basis (+4.6%), led by growth in mobile in Africa and the Middle East which had 100.6 million customers at 31 March 2015 (+11.3% year on year on a comparable basis).
In France, net additions of mobile contracts of 164,000 in the quarter were nearly double the 1st quarter of 2014 (+85,000). This performance was driven both by exceptional gross sales in the Enterprise market with the regaining of fleet management business, and a record 1st quarter in retail contracts.
The Origami and Open premium offers represented more than 60% of gross retail sales and 4G had 800,000 net additions over the quarter.
Fixed broadband had net sales of 68,000, with a market share of net adds estimated at 25% in the quarter, a significant increase from the 1st quarter of 2014 (+14 percentage points). The growth of fibre accelerated, with 75,000 net additions in the quarter.
Spain also recorded a very good performance in fixed broadband, led by fibre, with +50,000 net sales in the 1st quarter, and customer base growth of 13.4% year on year. Mobile contracts rose 5.8% year on year, and 4G had 600,000 net additions in the 1st quarter. ■