Mobile phone giant Polkomtel doubles its net profits

Eastern Europe's second largest mobile phone operator, Polkomtel, yesterday announced a net profit of zl. 230.4 million($54 million) in the first half of this year, more than double the figure for the same period last year. Polkomtel's key shareholders are Vodafone, oil concern PKN Orlen and state-controlled copper mining company KGHM. The operator's sales soared to almost zl. 2 billion, while the client base was increased by an additional 424,000 clients in the first six months of 2001, to 2.89 million. In comparison, Polkomtel's largest competitor, the operator of ERA's network, PTC, reported profits of zl. 345 million, with almost zl. 2 billion in revenues for the same period. (Prawo i Gospodarka, p.3, Reuters) A.K.