The launch of high-speed internet services have given Spanish operator ONO a good start in the Q1 financial season.
Seven months after the deployment of DOCSIS 3.0 technology, over 204,000 subscribers have signed for broadband speeds of either 30 or 50 Mbps, a figure that represents almost 15% of the company’s broadband subscriber base. 78,000 subscribers upgraded or signed onto the improved service in the last quarter, despite the challenging economic conditions being faced in Spain.
Capacity is currently available to deliver 50 Mbps speeds to 6 million homes within the ONO footprint. In October 2010 a pilot programme was launched to increase speeds to 100 Mbps.
Service upgrade campaigns have also resulted in a new interest in ONO’s premium TV services that have helped compensate for a fall in fixed to mobile telephone calls and the demise of PPV football. The new GOL TV now represents 120,000 customers and the availability of Canal+ has also addressed the subscriber erosion of previous years.
Total residential services increased by 60,000 in the first quarter and almost 109,000 in the last 12 months, to pass 4.2 million as of March 31, 2011.
The company reported revenues of €364 million and EBITDA of €179 million with an EBITDA margin of 49.1%.