"Hungary’s mobile service market will contract by 6-8% in annual terms in 2009 and a similar shrinkage is expected in 2010, as well, said György Beck, Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone’s local unit told newswire MTI. He believes the market will stabilise only at the end of next year and can start to grow only then. Vodafone plans to woo a great number of new subscribers and markedly boost its market share in 2010.Demand for new services and technologies keep on rising, while the users want these at lower and lower prices, mainly as a result of the crisis, Beck said.
Vodafone Hungary aims to keep the erosion of its revenues below the market average in every quarter and boost its market share with regard to the number of subscribers.
Vodafone took 23.3% of the total revenues on the mobile services market in the third quarter this year and it plans to add a few tenths of a percentage point each quarter, Beck said. In his view, a realistic goal is to reach 24% in the next quarter.
Hungary’s mobile service market will contract by 6-8% in annual terms in 2009 and a similar shrinkage is expected in 2010, as well, said György Beck, Chief Executive Officer of Vodafone’s local unit told newswire MTI. He believes the market will stabilise only at the end of next year and can start to grow only then. Vodafone plans to woo a great number of new subscribers and markedly boost its market share in 2010.
Demand for new services and technologies keep on rising, while the users want these at lower and lower prices, mainly as a result of the crisis, Beck said.
Vodafone Hungary aims to keep the erosion of its revenues below the market average in every quarter and boost its market share with regard to the number of subscribers.
Vodafone took 23.3% of the total revenues on the mobile services market in the third quarter this year and it plans to add a few tenths of a percentage point each quarter, Beck said. In his view, a realistic goal is to reach 24% in the next quarter.
In spite of the difficult circumstances, Vodafone is maintaining its level of profitability, and this remains its goal for the rest of the year and in 2010 too, Beck said, but declined to reveal any details about profits, citing the policy of the parent company.
Vodafone's Hungarian unit expanded its staff by 250 people in Q3, bringing headcount to 1,600 that will rise to 1,800-2,000 by the end of the business year on 31 March. Most new hires are staffing Vodafone's finances centre in Budapest and the customer service centre in Miskolc (northeast Hungary).
Vodafone wants to expand its mobile internet coverage by using the 900 frequency, Beck said. The frequency requires just one-third as many base stations as the frequency it currently uses for the network, he added.
The NCA invited a tender for the sale of seven new mobile frequencies in October 2008 but called it off in March because of the global financial and economic crisis. It is expected to call another tender for the 900MHz in 2010.
Vodafone's mobile internet network covers 377 municipalities or about 63% of the population."
Source: Portfolio Online Financial Journal
17.11.2009