BERTRANGE, Luxembourg, Jan. 9, 2003 (PRIMEZONE) -- Millicom Iinternational Cellular S.A (Nasdaq:MICC)
- 28% annual growth in total subscribers to 4.3 million*
- 25% annual growth in proportional subscribers to 3.0 million*
- 52% annual growth in proportional pre-paid subscribers in Asia
- 55% annual growth in proportional pre-paid subscribers in
Central America
Millicom International Cellular S.A. (MIC), the global telecommunications investor, announced today that in the fourth quarter of 2002 its worldwide operations in Asia, Latin America* and Africa added 316,395 net new cellular subscribers or 215,165 subscribers on a proportional basis.
At December 31, 2002, MIC's worldwide cellular subscriber base* increased by 28% to 4,252,037 cellular subscribers from 3,322,869 as at December 31, 2001. Particularly significant annualized percentage increases were recorded in Cambodia, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sierra Leone, Ghana and Central America.
At December 31, 2002, MIC had 3,021,873 proportional cellular subscribers*, an increase of 25% on the 2,415,474 proportional subscribers, reported at December 31, 2001.
Cellular Operations (i)
Proportional Proportion Annualized Total Total Annualized
(ii) al (ii) Increase Increase
Subs at Subs at Subs at Subs at
Dec 31, Dec 31, Dec 31, Dec 31,
2002 2001 2002 2001
Asia 1,206,822 857,843 41% 1,938,674 1,355,974 43%
Latin 1,597,123 1,385,600 15% 2,004,250 1,702,368 18%
America*
Africa 217,928 172,031 27% 309,113 264,527 17%
Total
Cellular 3,021,873 2,415,474 25% 4,252,037 3,322,869 28%
Ops*
(i) All numbers and comparatives exclude divested operations,
including the recent sale in the Philippines
(ii) Proportional subscribers are calculated as the sum of MIC's
percentage ownership of subscribers in each operation.
* Excluding El Salvador
Within the 3,021,873 proportional cellular subscribers* reported at the end of the fourth quarter, 2,667,400 were pre-paid customers, representing a 36% increase on the 1,967,571 proportional prepaid subscribers* recorded at the end of December 2001. Pre-paid subscribers currently represent 88% 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 17 cellular operations and licenses in 16 countries. The Group's cellular operations have a combined population under license (excluding Tele2) of approximately 369 million people. In addition, MIC provides high-speed wireless data services in seven 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 over 16 million customers in 21 countries. The Company's shares are traded on 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.
Marc Beuls Telephone: +352 27 759 101
President and Chief
Executive Officer
Millicom International
Cellular S.A., Luxembourg
Andrew Best Telephone: +44 (0) 20 7321 5022
Shared Value Ltd, London
Visit MIC's homepage at http://www.millicom.com
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