2008 Financial Year Compared to the 2007 Financial Year
EMAPA
Mobile telecommunications KPIs
2008 | 2007 | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern Europe |
Middle East, Africa & Asia |
Pacific | EMAPA | Eastern Europe |
Middle East, Africa & Asia |
Pacific | EMAPA | ||
Closing customers (’000) | 33,547 | 79,289 | 6,279 | 119,115 | 28,975 | 27,160 | 5,750 | 61,885 | |
Closing 3G devices (’000) | 686 | 885 | 1,297 | 2,868 | 347 | 367 | 778 | 1,492 | |
Voice usage (millions of minutes) | 48,431 | 189,747 | 12,845 | 251,023 | 39,658 | 37,449 | 11,371 | 88,478 |
Vodafone has continued to execute on its strategy to deliver strong growth in emerging markets during the 2008 financial year, with the acquisition of Vodafone Essar (formerly Hutchison Essar) in India and with strong performances in Turkey, acquired in May 2006, Romania and Egypt. The Group is beginning to differentiate itself in its emerging markets, with initiatives such as the introduction of Vodafone branded handsets and the Vodafone M-PESA/Vodafone Money Transfer service.
On 8 May 2007, the Group continued to successfully increase its portfolio in emerging markets by acquiring companies with interests in Vodafone Essar, a leading operator in the fast growing Indian mobile market, following which the Group controls Vodafone Essar. The business was rebranded to Vodafone in September 2007.
In conjunction with the Vodafone Essar acquisition, the Group signed a memorandum of understanding with Bharti Airtel, the Group’s former joint venture in India, on infrastructure sharing and granted an option to a Bharti group company to buy its 5.60% direct interest in Bharti Airtel, which was exercised on 9 May 2007.
An initial public offering of 25% of Safaricom shares held by the Government of Kenya closed to applicants on 23 April 2008. Share allocations are expected to be announced on, or around, 30 May 2008, following which Safaricom will be accounted for as an associate, rather than as a joint venture. The Group’s effective equity interest will remain unchanged.