Polkomtel announces profit rise and more customers

Polkomtel, owner of the Plus GSM mobile phone operator, announced that in the third quarter of 2003 its net profits amounted to zł. 246.9 million, a growth of 6.8% compared to the same period of 2002. According to analysts, the company should end the year zł. 600 million in the black and should pay a substantial dividend to its shareholders. Polkomtel's revenues amounted to zł. 1.35 billion in the third quarter, 9.4 percent more than a year ago. The consolidated sales of the firm amounted to zł. 3.84 billion and according to Jarosław Pachowski, the company's president, the forecast zł. 5 billion revenues is not under threat. Higher sales are mostly due to increased customer numbers and the development of non-voice services. Its GPRS, SMS, MMS and convergent telephony revenues grew by 36% compared to 2002. Polkomtel increased its efforts to attract new customers and expenditure in this area rose to zł. 1.02 billion, 4.1% more than a year ago. The company has a 31.36% market share. (Parkiet, p. 2) M.M.