& çâÌæÚUæð´ ·¤è ¥ôÚU Îð¹Ùæ ÁæÚUè ÚU¹ð´ ¥ÍæüÌ ¥ÂÙð ÜÿØ ÂÚU ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´Ð ãæÚU Ù ×æÙð´, €UØô´ç·¤ ·¤æ× ·¤ÚUÙð âð ¥æÂ·¤ô ©gðàØ ·¤è Âýæç# ãôÌè ãñ ¥õÚU ÁèßÙ ·¤æ ¹æÜèÂÙ ÎêÚU ãôÌæ ãñÐ ÖÜð ãè ÁèßÙ ×ð´ ç·¤ÌÙè Öè ·¤çÆÙæ§ü €UØô´ Ù ¥æ°, çÁ™ææâæ ¥õÚU ©ˆâæã ÕÙæ° ÚU¹ð´Ð ŠØæÙ ÚU¹ð´, ÜÿØ ã×ðàææ ¥æÂ·Ô¤ Âæâ ãôÌð ãñ´ çÁ‹ãð´ ÂæÙð ·Ô¤ çÜ° ÂýØæâ ¥æÂ ·¤Öè Öè àæéM¤ ·¤ÚU â·¤Ìð ãñ´Ð

Banglalink may not reach break-even point in 2008

Star Business Report
Banglalink, the country's second largest mobile operator, said the company's target for reaching the break-even point by the end of this year is at a risk, as tax reduction on SIM cards was not materialised.
During a pre-budget discussion, the telecom regulator assured the operators of reducing tax on SIM (subscriber identity module) cards from Tk800 to Tk300 in the budget for 2008-09 fiscal, but the assurance did not effect.
Banglalink reached a subscriber base of 10 million in July tins year and became the second largest cellphone operator among the six currently providing services.
When Banglalink's major rival Grameenphone crossed the 10-million subscriber mark in 2006, it became the most profitable venture of Norwegian Telenor, owning 62 percent of Grameenphone. In 2006, Grameenphone made an operating profit of 1 836 billion NOK (Norwegian Kroner). [1 NOK=BDT12.381
Banglalink will continue to pursue its strategy to consolidate its market share, according to the company's half-yearly financial report, posted on its parent company Orascom Telecom's website recently.
Banglalink's revenue during the first half of 2008 exceeded $132 million, up 70 percent over that of the previous year. Revenue in the second quarter of 2008 was $64 million, showing a 7 percent decline over the revenue earned in first quarter of 2008. This is mainly due to reduction of tariff during the second quarter, the company data showed.
The company's EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation) declined 50.9 percent to $11.552000 or Tk792, 467,182 in June 2008, which was $23,534,000 or Tk1 ,
614.432,364 in June 2007.
Industry insiders said Banglalink's aggressive drive for tariff reduction compelled other operators to minimise their tariff. "The company now suffers due to its own strategy. A large customer base is good. But the number becomes a burden when operators have to subsidise them with a big amount of time," said an official of a leading cellphone operator.
However, the official said when this large number of customers will generate profits, it would be big.
"All the mobile operators are selling connections at a much lower price and thus subsidising the SIM tax. At present, the mobile operators, except GR are incurring losses," an official of Banglalink said.
"Banglalink is adding the highest number of customers in the industry; therefore, high SIM tax affects us the most," he added.