TV loses subs but boosts ARPU for MTS fixed line business

Russian service provider MTS said its modernization of networks outside Moscow with the rollout of FTTB and the rollout of a nationwide digital TV platform boosted its fixed line performance in the first half, despite a slight decline in revenues due to one-off gains last year from government-related projects. 

The fixed line business turned in revenues of RUB30.8 billion (€639 million) in the first half, down from RUB31.2 billion last year.

MTS had 7.294 million fixed subscribers at the end of June, down from 7.844 million last year, while residential fixed ARPU grew to RUB330, up from RUB306 in 2013. The company said the decline in numbers reflected losses during the migration of pay TV customers from analogue to digital, while the increase in ARPU reflected the rising share of double and triple-play customers, migration of pay TV subs to digital and upselling of broadband customers.