Page 28 - SAMENA Trends - July-August 2022

REGIONAL & MEMBERS UPDATES SAMENA TRENDS

Mobily Posts a 47% Increase in Net Profit in 2Q22

Saudi Arabian mobile network operator published its financial results for the three 4.6% year-on-year increase in revenues to
(MNO) Etihad Etisalat (Mobily) has months ended 30 June 2022, reporting a SAR3.899 billion (USD1 billion), up from
SAR3.728 billion in 2Q21. The company
claims that the positive result was due to
the growth of revenues generated by its
Business and Wholesale units and ‘healthy
growth’ in its fiber-to-the-home (FTTH)
and overall subscription base. Further,
EBITDA increased to SAR1.482 billion in
2Q22, up by 10.3% y-o-y, while interest
and financial charges grew 17.6% y-o-y to
SAR143 million in the period under review,
reflecting the increase in interest rates. Net
profit, meanwhile, improved by 47.4% y-o-y
from SAR244 million to SAR360 million in
2Q22. CAPEX for the first six months of
2022 amounted to SAR539 million versus
SAR425 million for the similar period of the
previous year.

Omantel Boosts 5G Coverage in Muscat, Al

Batinah South and Al Batinah North

Oman Telecommunications Company
(Omantel), the Sultanate’s incumbent
fixed and mobile operator, has announced
that it has now covered the populated
areas in the governorates of Muscat, Al
Batinah South and Al Batinah North with
5G services, reports Times of Oman. ‘We
have successfully rolled out a large number
of new 5G sites in the populated areas of
Muscat, Al Batinah North and Al Batinah
South governorates. These new sites will
serve home internet and mobile internet
alike, and users will get an optimum speed
even at the edge of the coverage range,’
said Aladdin Baitfadhil, Chief Commercial
Officer at Omantel, adding: ‘We managed
to ensure a fast and steady connection in December 2018, following which a launched in February 2021. Omantel’s 5G
everywhere within the coverage range, even commercial launch of fixed wireless 5G service is available without extra charge on
for mobile users, through smaller 5G cells services for residential customers took both post-paid and pre-paid tariffs, although
that connect to the main tower.’ Omantel place in December 2019. Commercial 5G customers require a 5G supported handset
was allocated 100MHz of spectrum in mobile services, supporting maximum or device and must be within coverage area
the 3400MHz-3500MHz frequency band download speeds of 1Gbps, were then to use the service.

28 JULY-AUGUST 2022