Bangkok--6 Feb--AIS
AIS recorded the full year 2017 financial result with Bt30,077mn net profit and 3.7% growth in total revenue, underpinned by increased data usage of 6.7GB/month and expanded AIS Fibre subscribers base to 521,200. For 4Q17, total revenue declined 0.3% YoY while net profit was Bt7,701mn. The second half dividend of Bt 3.57/share will be paid in April 2018.
Mr. Somchai Lertsutiwong, Chief Executive Officer of Advanced Info Service PLC or AIS explained "In 2017, AIS continued to strengthen network and service quality in response to customers' digital lifestyle, which included mobile, fixed broadband, and digital services. In 2017, service revenue rose 3.7%, supported by growing data usage from 3.6 GB/month in 2016 to 6.7GB/month in 2017. The growing demand for mobile data was driven by popularity of video streaming and 4G handset penetration, which represented 46% to total 40.1mn mobile subscribers. AIS Fibre, the fixed broadband service, expanded its coverage to 50 key cities and recorded 521,200 subscribers. During the year, AIS introduced new premium content packages to match different customers' lifestyle e.g. sports, movies and family, which available on mobile via AIS PLAY and at home via AIS PLAYBOX. For the full year 2017, AIS' EBTIDA improved 16% to Bt70,498mn from continued 4G expansion and spectrum license acquisition.
This year, AIS continued our aim to be Digital Life Service Provider to support evolving consumers' needs in the fast-changing world as well as strengthen our enterprise services to capture the new growth through CS Loxinfo acquisition. For 2018, AIS expected service revenue (excluding IC) to grow in a range of 7-8% YoY (2% of which comes from CS Loxinfo consolidation) and expected EBITDA margin to be in a range of 45-47%. With growing needs for data, AIS set the budget of Bt35bn-Bt38bn cash capital expenditure to invest in 4G network quality and efficiency and expect to expand AIS Fibre service coverage to the new cities. As the leading quality of customer services, AIS opened a new dimension of AIS' shop, AIS THE DIGITAL GALLERY, the showcases of new gadgets and innovations, with an aim to enhance superior digital experience for customers.
Following our "Digital For Thais" concept, AIS is determined to leverage digital technology and telecommunication infrastructure to improve quality of Thais' lives and to enhance the growth of Thai economy in digital era, aligning with the "Thailand 4.0" policy" said Mr. Somchai.