HTHKL profit falls 25% in 2013
Hutchison Telecommunications Hong Kong Limited (HTHKL) has reported a 25% slump in net profit for 2013 to HK$916 million ($118.03 million), on 18% lower revenue of HK$12.77 billion. Intense competition and slowing demand for new smartphones contributed to the decline. But South China Morning Post quotes HTHKL CEO Peter Wong King-fai as stating that a shift away from handset subsidies and unlimited data plans should help turn the mobile business around, and growing fixed-line profits are providing a cushion against volatility.
NBN Co preparing for aerial fiber trial
Australia's NBN Co hopes to be ready to conduct a trial rollout of fiber strung over powerlines in Tasmania by next month, ABC News reports. The trial has been proposed by state-run utility Aurora, which recently made a submission to a parliamentary inquiry claiming it would be cheaper to run fiber along its power infrastructure than to install it underground. NBN Co is now hammering out the details of a potential trial in two or three Tasmanian communities, and hopes to have a decision in place by next month. But the company contracted to roll out the NBN in Tasmania, Visionstream, has not yet been employed for the revised FTTN portion of the rollout.
Vodafone India to launch mobile wallet in south by April
Vodafone India plans to extend its mobile commerce service m-Pesa to the south of India by March or April. A company official toldPress Trust of India that the company is conducting a staggered national launch of the service, which is currently available in 15 of the nation's 22 telecom circles. Vodafone India first launched m-Pesa in April last year, more than two years after announcing plans for the service. M-Pesa's functions include mobile money transfer, bill payment and mobile banking.
SKT handset unit buy is credit negative: Moody's
SK Telecom's plan to buy the retail handset sales business of sister company SK Networks is credit negative and a threat to the operator's balance sheet, credit ratings agency Moody's has warned. While SK Telecom claims the deal – announced on Friday – will help it strengthen its retail distribution channels, Moody's believes the acquisition of a low-margin, retail business will dilute SK Telecom's margins. The agency has reduced its forecast for the company's 2014 ebitda margins to around 30-31% from 32-33%, but expects the operator's adjusted debt/ebitda ratio to remain unchanged in the 1.4x-1.5x range.
Chorus 2H13 profit down 7%
reported
http://www.chorus.co.nz/chorus-interim-fy14-result-reshaping-the-business-to-be-sustainable
spin-off from Telecom NZ in 2011