Telecom operator True Group reported a net profit of 2.9 billion baht in the third quarter, up sharply from 99 million baht in the year-earlier period, thanks to strong growth in the mobile and broadband business segment and net benefits from an asset sale to the Digital Telecommunications Infrastructure Fund (DIF) in August.
"True Group recorded strong subscriber and net profit growth in the third quarter, driving service revenue to a record high of 78.6 billion baht and net profit to 5.4 billion baht in the first nine months of this year," said Kittinut Tikawan, co-president of True.
He said the company added 215,000 postpaid users in the third quarter, accounting for 45% of total new subscribers in the market.
TrueMove H, a mobile service, registered 19.3 billion baht in revenue from data and voice service, up 2% year-on-year and 1% quarter-to-quarter.
True's broadband internet business also had strong growth in the third quarter, despite fierce market competition.
True Online saw broadband revenue grow 5.2% quarter-to-quarter to 6.6 billion baht in Q3.
In the same quarter, 94,000 new customers subscribed to the internet broadband service, expanding True's total broadband users to 3.7 million.
TrueVision, a pay TV operator, saw total customers and paying subscribers rise to 4 million and 2.3 million, respectively. Service revenue reached 3.1 billion baht in the third quarter, driven by growing revenue from concerts and sub-licensing and sponsorships linked to English Premier League broadcasts.
No.1 mobile operator Advanced Info Service (AIS) reported strong performance in the high-speed broadband internet segment, with third quarter revenue rising 32% year-on-year.
AIS Fibre added 81,600 customers in the third quarter -- the highest figure in the last 11 quarters. The service has 937,000 customers.
In the first nine months, AIS Fibre's revenue grew 29% year-on-year.
Saran Phaloprakarn, head of fixed broadband for AIS, said the fixed broadband internet business is competitive in price and technology, as well as in strategies to serve people's lifestyle needs.
"AIS Fibre is dedicated to analysing market changes in terms of consumer behaviour, trends and cutting-edge technology to develop and create new innovative features to generate value and benefits for customers," Mr Saran said.
AIS reported revenue of 134 billion baht in the first nine months of the year, up 6.9% year-on-year. Net profit reached 24 billion baht during the same period, up 5.1% year-on-year.