BERTRANGE, Luxembourg, April 9, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Millicom International Cellular S.A (Nasdaq:MICC):
- 28% annual growth in total subscribers - 25% annual growth in proportional subscribers - 45% annual growth in pre-paid subscribers in Asia. - 29% annual growth in pre-paid subscribers in Latin America
Millicom International Cellular S.A. (MIC), the global telecommunications investor, announced today that in the first quarter of 2003 its worldwide operations in Asia, Latin America* and Africa added 245,803 net new cellular subscribers or 178,416 subscribers on a proportional basis.
At March 31, 2003, MIC's worldwide cellular subscriber base* increased by 28% to 4,248,714 cellular subscribers from 3,331,533 as at March 31, 2002. Particularly significant percentage increases were recorded in Ghana, Cambodia, Sir Lanka and Vietnam.
At March 31, 2003, MIC had 2,962,603 proportional cellular subscribers*, an increase of 25% from the 2,369,603 proportional subscribers reported at March 31, 2002.
Cellular Operations (i)
Proportio Proportio Total Total
nal (ii) nal (ii) Annual Subs at Subs at Annual
Subs at Subs at ized March March ized
March 31, March 31, Increase 31, 2003 31, 2002 Increase
2003 2002
Asia 1,308,969 971,781 35% 2,110,494 1,514,687 39%
Latin 1,422,825 1,215,157 17% 1,814,199 1,534,668 18%
America*
Africa 230,809 182,665 26% 324,021 282,178 15%
Total 2,962,603 2,369,603 25% 4,248,714 3,331,533 28%
Cellular
(i) All numbers and comparatives exclude divested operations,
including Celcaribe in Colombia, which was sold in
February 2003
(ii) Proportional subscribers are calculated as the sum of MIC's
percentage ownership of subscribers in each operation.
Excluding El Salvador and divested operations
Within the 2,962,603 proportional cellular subscribers* reported at the end of the first quarter, 2,641,734 were pre-paid customers, representing a 34% increase on the 1,976,407 proportional prepaid subscribers* recorded at the end of March 2002. Pre-paid subscribers currently represent 89% of gross reported proportional cellular subscribers.
Millicom International Cellular S.A. is a global telecommunications investor with cellular operations in Asia, Latin America and Africa. It currently has a total of 16 cellular operations and licenses in 15 countries. The Group's cellular operations have a combined population under license (excluding Tele2) of approximately 382 million people. In addition, MIC provides high-speed wireless data services in six countries. MIC also has a 6.8% interest in Tele2 AB, the leading alternative pan-European telecommunications company offering fixed and mobile telephony, data network and Internet services to 16.8 million customers in 22 countries. The Company's shares are traded on the Luxembourg Bourse and the Nasdaq Stock Market under the symbol MICC.
This press release may contain certain "forward-looking statements" with respect to our expectations and plans, strategy, management's objectives, future performance, costs, revenues, earnings and other trend information. It is important to note that our actual results in the future could differ materially from those anticipated in forward- looking statements depending on various important factors. Please refer to the documents we have filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including our most recent annual report on Form 20-F, for a discussion of certain of these factors.
All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to us on the date hereof. All written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to Millicom International Cellular S.A, any Millicom International Cellular S.A members or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the factors referred to above. We do not intend to update these forward- looking statements.