Comstar-UTS broadband base up, triple-play down

Russian service provider Comstar-UTS’s broadband subscriber base in Moscow at the end of September was 1.2 million, up 32% year-on-year and 3% quarter-on-quarter. However, triple-play subscribers fell by 3% quarter-on-quarter to 128,000 as a result of price rises. ARPU for Comstar’s pay-TV services grew by 8% as a result of the discontinuation of a low-cost package of channels. Residential broadband ARPU in Moscow was RUB319 (€7.43), up 14% year-on-year.

Comstar reported third-quarter revenues of US$375.1m (€250m), up 15% year-on-year. Revenues were stable quarter-on-quarter in rouble terms. OIBDA was US$161.1m, up 13% year-on-year in rouble terms. Net income was US$26.9m.

The consolidation of the Stream-TV group of regional providers generated RUB792m in the quarter.