Africa - MTN

MTN Group maintains emerging markets leadership as subscribers exceed 54 million

Highlights

* SEA region subscriber base up 5% for quarter ended 30 September 2007
* WECA region subscriber base up 9% for quarter ended 30 September 2007
* MENA region subscriber base up 36% for quarter ended 30 September 2007

The MTN Group is pleased to announce that it recorded 54,162,000 subscribers across its 21 operations for the quarter ended 30 September 2007, a 12% increase from 48,346,000 subscribers recorded at 30 June 2007.

The South and East Africa (SEA) region contributed 33% (June 2007: 35%) of the Group’s total subscribers while the West, East and Central Africa (WECA) and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) regions contributed 47% (June 2007: 48%) and 20% (June 2007: 17%) respectively.

Says MTN Group President and CEO, Mr Phuthuma Nhleko: “I am pleased with the steady growth of our subscriber base during this last quarter, especially the progress we are making at MTN Irancell, which really launched in earnest in January 2007 but has already exceeded 3,7 million subscribers.”

The SEA region increased its subscriber base by 5% for the quarter. Growth in the region was driven mainly by MTN Group’s South African operation, with subscribers increasing by 3% for the quarter ended 30 September 2007. Postpaid net connections have now normalised following the unwinding of the specific unfavourable on biller agreement. There has been a restatement of the South African subscribers and ARPU which now reflects MTN’s consolidated South African operation (the restated history is available at www.mtn.com). MTN Uganda subscribers increased 12% to 2,094,000 due to more competitive pricing.

In the WECA region the 9% growth was driven largely by MTN Nigeria, which recorded a 7% increase in subscribers to 14,985,000. An aggressive network rollout plan is addressing the quality and capacity issues following the high rate of subscriber acquisitions since the last quarter of 2006.

Ghana increased its subscriber base by 14% to 3,872,000 underpinned by strong operational execution of the network rollout. In addition, Cameroon increased subscribers by 15% to 2,238,000 due to increased marketing activities.

The MENA region recorded a 36% increase in subscribers mainly due to strong growth from start-up operations in Iran, which increased subscribers by 88% to 3,720,000. There was also continued strong growth in Afghanistan (66%), Sudan (24%) and Syria (12%).

MTN South Africa’s Average Revenue Per User (ARPU) increased, on a comparable basis, by 1% to R146. Nigerian and Ghanaian ARPUs remained strong at $17 and $16 respectively.

Subscriber Numbers - Subscribers are customers who have participated in a revenue generating activity in the last 90 days. ARPU is the average revenue per subscriber calculated on a monthly basis (includes interconnect fees and excludes connection fees, where these are material, and visitor roaming revenue).

* South Africa now includes community service payphones into the pre-paid and application providers into post-paid. Prior periods have been adjusted for comparative purposes.

see also financial results