“Vip Mobile” company made a 18,4 million EUR profit in the second quarter of 2009

“Vip Mobile” company has made a profit of 18,4 million EUR in the second quarter of this year, which is for 44,9% more than in the same period in 2008, as it was stated by the Management Board’s member, Roland Haidner.

In an interview for BETA Agency, Mr. Haidner stated that this is the result of increased number of users and the result of the general growth of mobile traffic within VIP network.

“Vip Mobile”, active as a part of the Austrian “Mobilkom”, had 1,1 million users at the end of June, which is 60% more than in the first half of 2008.

The company increased its participation in the Serbian market of mobile telephony from 7,2% in June 2008, to 10,7% at the end of June 2009.

- “Vip Mobile” is still in a growing and development stage, and because of that the more it invests the more it earns, said Mr. Haidner, who is also in charge of the finances of the company.

From April to June, “Vip Mobile” decreased the loss before taxes, interest rates, amortization and depreciation to 7,4 million euros, which was in the same period of the last year 9,6 million euros.

Mr. Haidner estimated that business and private users were spending less on this kind of service in the first half of the year, as a consequence of the global economic crisis.

As he stressed out, the tax of 10% for mobile telephony was introduced in June of this year, and it additionally made more expenses for the users and telecommunication network in Serbia, generally.

- We expect from the Government to abolish this additional fee in the planned budget revision, because of other priorities, said Haidner.

Total profit of “Vip Mobile” in the first half of 2009, was 33,8 million euros, and for 36,3% higher than in the same period of the last year, when it reached 24,8 million euros.

“Vip Mobile” company has invested in Serbia around 192 million euros during 2007 and 2008. Austrian “Mobilkom” paid 320 million and one euro for the license of the third mobile operator in Serbia, in December, 2006, and it started offering services from the second half of 2007 through a local company “Vip Mobile”.