Atlantic Telecom Grp - Operating Statistics, etc.
April 07 1999 - 3:30AM
UK Regulatory
RNS No 2437w
ATLANTIC TELECOM GROUP PLC
7 April 1999
ATLANTIC TELECOM GROUP PLC
STRONG GROWTH IN LINES AT ATLANTIC TELECOM
Atlantic Telecom Group PLC, the innovative provider of high
quality, value-added telecoms services, is pleased to announce
its telecommunications operating statistics for its fourth
quarter, ended 31 March 1999.
Highlights
* Total lines installed and pending installation rises
almost 19% to 52,212
* Fixed radio access ("FRA") network lines jump over 23% to
26,004, implying an average monthly run rate of over 1,600
lines over the quarter
* FRA penetration in Glasgow grows to 4.29% from 3.94% at
the end of December 1998
* FRA penetration in Aberdeen, which launched on 30
September 1998, already 3.16%
* "Crest" posts a record quarter with lines increasing 34%
to 8,545, including lines on the new "Business Crest" service
* Atlantic Logicall increases lines by 7.5% to 17,663
* Announcement of launch of Atlantic Mobile, the UK's first
integrated fixed/mobile service which will use the Cellnet
network
Graham J Duncan, Executive Chairman of Atlantic Telecom,
commented:
"This quarter has seen a significant acceleration in growth in
the lines across the Group and in particular on our fixed
radio access networks consistent with the growth in the
network builds and an increase in demand for our services. The
growth is particularly encouraging as it has been achieved
without the benefit of 19 of our 101 base stations which only
came into service at the end of March and had no impact on the
customer growth for the quarter. We are now operational in the
four target cities that we had planned, following the launch
of the service in Edinburgh on 29 March.
We were extremely pleased to have been awarded five new
regional FRA licences, in principle, during the quarter, which
will allow us to take our innovative services into England. We
also recently announced a trial of new technology, beginning
in the summer, that will allow high-speed data traffic to be
delivered on our networks.
These initiatives, coupled with the announcement of the launch
today of our fixed/mobile service and the continuing expansion
of our networks, places Atlantic in a strong position for the
future."
For further information please contact:
Graham J Duncan, Executive Chairman,
Atlantic Telecom Group PLC
Tel: 01224 454000
Patrick Toyne Sewell,
Citigate Dewe Rogerson
Tel: 0171 282 8000
ATLANTIC TELECOM GROUP PLC
TELECOMMUNICATIONS OPERATING STATISTICS FOR THE YEAR
ENDED 31 MARCH 1999
The Board of Atlantic Telecom Group PLC ("Atlantic" or "the
Group") is pleased to announce the Group's telecommunications
operating statistics for the year ended 31 March 1999.
Having given consideration to the level of information being
released on a quarterly basis, the Board have decided that
financial information should be released only twice a year in
accordance with normal Stock Exchange procedures with
statistics only issued on a quarterly basis. This has the
advantage of allowing the statistics to be issued more
rapidly, and is more consistent with other operators.
Accordingly, the customer financial information for the twelve-
month period will be issued with the preliminary announcement
for the year ended 31 March 1999.
The total lines installed and pending installation at 31 March
1999 were 52,212 an increase of 8,276 in the quarter since 31
December 1998. This compares against an increase of 3,931 in
the previous quarter.
The operating statistics are summarised below. The detail is
attached: -
At At
31 March 31 Dec
1999 1998
a) Atlantic Telecommunications
Ltd.
Lines installed and
pending installation* 34,549 27,506
b) Logicall Telecommunications
Ltd.
Lines installed and
pending installation 17,663 16,430
------ ------
52,212 43,936
------ ------
* Includes both direct and indirect installations and pending
installations
The number of lines on the Group's fixed radio access ("FRA")
networks, which are included in the above figures, has reached
26,004 at 31 March compared to 21,123 at 31 December and
18,170 at 30 September. The significant acceleration in growth
is due to a continuing increase in the size of the networks,
an increase in overall demand levels and an increase in sales
resources. The penetration of FRA customers on the Glasgow
City network at 31 March 1999 continues to grow and has now
reached 4.29%. The Aberdeen network, which presently covers
only two-thirds of the City, has seen a rapid expansion in
take up and the penetration of FRA customers after just six
months of operation has reached 3.16%. Taking account of the
indirectly connected customers in the Aberdeen area, including
those outside the present coverage of the FRA network,
Atlantic has secured over 7.0% of the Aberdeen market, an
excellent result.
Business churn was 14.99% for the year ended 31 March 1999, a
decrease on the nine-month annualised amount of 16.82%. Churn
in the residential market remains subdued and was 13.50% in
the twelve-month period to 31 March 1999, compared to an
annualised equivalent of 12.06% for the nine-month period.
Logicall Telecommunications Limited, the Group's management
and least cost routing company which targets larger business
customers, has had an encouraging quarter and has increased
its lines by 1,233 from 16,430 at 31 December 1998 to 17,663
at 31 March 1999. This compares to an increase of 178 for the
previous quarter.
The "Crest" indirect residential service has had a record
quarter that has seen its lines increase by 1,920 to reach
8,303 at 31 March. This compares to a growth of 800 lines the
previous quarter. During the quarter, the Group expanded the
Crest service in Scotland with the introduction of a "Business
Crest" capability. At 31 March 1999, there was, in addition to
the residential Crest customers, a further 41 Business Crest
customers with a total of 242 lines.
Commenting, Graham J Duncan, Executive Chairman stated:
"This quarter has seen a significant acceleration in growth in
the lines across the Group and in particular on our fixed
radio access networks consistent with the growth in the
network builds and an increase in demand for our services. The
growth is particularly encouraging as it has been achieved
without the benefit of 19 of our 101 base stations which only
came into service at the end of March and had no impact on the
customer growth for the quarter. We are now operational in the
four target cities that we had planned, following the launch
of the service in Edinburgh on 29 March.
We were extremely pleased to have been awarded five new
regional FRA licences, in principle, during the quarter, which
will allow us to take our innovative services into England. We
also recently announced a trial of new technology, beginning
in the summer, that will allow high-speed data traffic to be
delivered on our networks.
These initiatives, coupled with the announcement of the launch
today of our fixed/mobile service and the continuing expansion
of our networks, places Atlantic in a strong position for the
future."
ATLANTIC TELECOM GROUP PLC
Certain Operating Data
The following table sets forth certain data concerning the
Group's telecommunications operations as of and for the twelve-
month period ended 31 March 1999, for the nine-month period
ended 31 December 1998 and for the six month period ended 30
September 1998.
As of and for
the periods ended
30 Sept 31 Dec 31 Mar
1998 1998 1999
Direct Telecommunications (Atlantic Telecom FRA Service)
Residential Customer Data
Estimated residential
homes passed (1) 283,167 376,066 533,323
Residential customers 7,533 8,944 11,154
Residential customer
lines(2) 14,648 17,282 21,773
Penetration rate
of estimated
residential homes
passed (3) 2.5% 2.4% 2.1%
Average lines per
residential customer (4) 1.94 1.93 1.95
Residential customer
churn(5) 16.44% 12.06% 13.50%
Business Customer Data
Estimated business
premises passed(1) 26,186 29,111 32,390
Business customers 1,084 1,258 1,324
Business customer
lines(2) 3,522 3,841 4,231
Penetration rate of
estimated business
premises passed(3) 4.1% 4.3% 4.1%
Average lines per
business customer(4) 3.25 3.05 3.19
Business customer
churn(5) 15.12% 16.82% 14.99%
Network Data
Number of
base stations 61 77 101
Indirect Telecommunications
(Atlantic Telecom
Crest Service)
Residential customers 5,319 6,026 7,930
Residential customer
lines(2) 5,583 6,383 8,303
Average lines per
residential customer(4) 1.05 1.06 1.05
Business customers 0 0 41
Business customer
lines(2) 0 0 242
Average lines per
business customer(4) 0 0 5.90
Telecommunications Management
and Least-Cost Routing
(Atlantic Logicall)
Business customers 564 570 597
Business customer
lines(2) 16,252 16,430 17,663
Average lines
per business
customer(4) 28.8 28.8 29.6
TOTAL TELECOMMUNICATIONS LINES 40,005 43,936 52,212
(1) Estimated homes passed or estimated business premises
passed is the Company's estimate of the residential homes
or business premises seen by the FRA networks which are
capable of connection to a base station excluding certain
multiple dwelling units which the Company does not
presently serve.
(2) Residential or business customer lines represent the
number of lines which are connected and in service, and
the number of lines for which customers, where
applicable, have paid for service in advance but are not
yet connected.
(3) Penetration rate of estimated homes or estimated business
premises passed is calculated by dividing the number of
residential customers or business customers on the given
date by the estimated homes or estimated business
premises passed as of such date, expressed as a
percentage.
(4) The average lines per customer is calculated by dividing
the number of lines on a given date by the number of
customers on that date.
(5) Churn is calculated by dividing net disconnections (total
disconnections less the number of disconnected accounts
for which service is later restored and disconnections
for customers moving premises and reconnecting at their
new premises) in a period by the average number of
customers in the period (calculated as the simple average
of the number of customers at the end of each month
during the period). Churn for the nine months ended 31
December 1998 is annualised by multiplying the amount
calculated by 4 and dividing it by 3. Churn for the six
months ended 30 September 1998 is annualised by
multiplying the amount calculated as above by 2.
ATLANTIC TELECOM GROUP PLC
ATLANTIC TELECOM ANNOUNCES THE LAUNCH OF UK'S FIRST
INTEGRATED FIXED AND MOBILE TELECOMS SERVICE
Atlantic Telecommunications Limited ("Atlantic" or "the
Company"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Atlantic Telecom
Group PLC, will be launching the UK's first integrated
fixed/mobile service in late April 1999.
Atlantic has signed an agreement with Cellular Operations
Limited ("Cellular Operations") to offer all of Atlantic's
domestic and business telephone customers mobile services
using the Cellnet network. The services will also be
available to the business customers of Atlantic Logicall,
the group's telecom management subsidiary. The service will
be branded Atlantic Mobile, and will be operated, priced and
packaged by Atlantic, who will be responsible for the
customer service and management of the new service.
This agreement will allow Atlantic's residential customers
to take advantage of a unique integrated solution.
Customers will be able to subscribe to a line rental package
covering both mobile and fixed lines, and then subscribe to
a bundle of minutes that will also cover fixed and mobile
use.
Cellular Operations is a major UK Cellular Service Provider,
which has Cellnet as its largest shareholder (40%). It will
provide fulfillment services and will act as the interface
between Atlantic Telecom and Cellnet.
The move into the mobile market builds on Atlantic's
strategy of being an innovative provider of high quality,
value-added telecoms services to targeted urban domestic and
smaller business customers. Importantly, all Atlantic
customers will be able to receive both their fixed and
mobile charges on one bill. Atlantic believe that the
introduction of mobile services will add value to it's
existing and future customer base, and will position the
group in the forefront of fixed / mobile integration.
The service will be launched in Aberdeen but will be rolled
out quickly throughout the rest of Atlantic Telecom's
Scottish networks, and to Atlantic Logicall's customer base.
Atlantic will be offering customers a wide range of mobile
hardware, through its retail outlets and its Glasgow call
centre.
Atlantic Telecom currently provides directly connected
telecoms services, using FRA technology, in four major
Scottish cities, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh.
The company is on track to complete its Scottish build
programme later this year. Atlantic remains focused on
building its customer base in Scotland, but also looks
forward to developing services in England, following the
recent announcement from the DTI provisionally awarding
Atlantic five regional licences in England. Atlantic
Logicall offers telecom management services to a number of
blue chip clients.
Commenting, Graham J Duncan, Executive Chairman of Atlantic
Telecom Group PLC stated:
"We are very pleased to be able to offer this unique and
innovative service to our customers, allowing them to
benefit from a single telecoms source for all their calls.
From the end of April all our customers will be able to
enjoy the benefits of fixed / mobile integration for the
first time.
This is another example of how we are breaking the mould of
traditional telecommunications in the UK by listening to our
customers and then offering them innovative service
solutions"
Enquiries:
Graham J Duncan
Executive Chairman
Atlantic Telecom Group PLC
Tel: 01224 454000
Patrick Toyne Sewell
Citigate Dewe Rogerson
Tel: 0171 282 2889
END
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