Telecom operator Millicom on Monday said its revenue rose 7.6 percent to $1.29 billion in the third quarter of 2013.
Mobile regulatory issues impacted the revenue growth, Millicom said.
The revenue growth was supported one million new mobile data users in Q3. It added close to 1.5 million net new mobile users. Half of new data customers became smartphone users.
Currently, 18 percent of its mobile customers use mobile data.
Year to date around 5.7 percent of the customer base gained access to data services.
Smartphone sales in Latin America soared from 252,000 in Q1 to 507,000 in Q3 with overall growth in data up 30 percent in Q3.
In Latin America, 9 percent of Tigo smartphone users have subscribed to the unlimited music service. The telecom operator will launch more music service launches in the coming quarters.
Operating in 15 countries, Millicom added 250,000 new customers in DR Congo’s Kivu province in three months.
Hans-Holger Albrecht, president and CEO of Millicom, said that the third quarter’s growth highlights opportunity in Africa and Latin America.
“Combined with the shift to data, progress in mobile financial services and the launch of new media services almost weekly, we are on track to deliver the transformation of the company into a digital lifestyle provider,” Albrecht added.
Millicom Group provides mobile services, access to the internet, content and financial services to over 45 million customers.
