Turk Telekom says H1 net profit 1 bln YTL

Turk Telekom and Avea, Turkey's third largest GSM operator owned by Turk Telekom, announced financial figures for the first half at a press conference in Istanbul.

 

Turk Telekom said consolidated revenues were up 12 percent in the first half of the year over the same period of last year to reach 4.97 billion YTL ($4.19 billion).

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It said operating profit rose to 1.35 billion YTL ($1.14 billion), up 13 percent. The number of ADSL subscribers also rose 700,000 and reached 5.2 million in the first half of 2008, making an income of 791 million YTL ($670.3 million), up 36 percent over the first half of 2007, it said.

 

Turk Telekom officials said Avea's income soared 36 percent in the first half to 1.017 billion YTL (856 million USD). The number of Avea subscribers grew 1.1 million to 11 million, it said.

 

TENDER FOR KYRGYZTELECOM

Turk Telekom, also said Friday it will participate in the tender to buy Kyrgyzstan's state-owned telecom company.

 

Kyrgyzstan plans to sell 78 percent shares of state-owned Kyrgyztelecom.

 

Turk Telekom CEO Paul Doany said Turk Telekom completed technical studies for the Kyrgyz telecom tender, and it will bid.

 

Avea said it will compete in the tender for Turkish 3G licences.

 

Last year, Avea and Vodafone did not bid in the tender for 3G licenses, leaving Turkcell, the market leader, alone in the tender but the tender was cancelled due to lack of competition.