EBITDA reached THB 18.4 billion, up 23 percent year-on-year and 4.9 percent quarter-on-quarter, with a margin of 44.8 percent. The EBITDA has more than offset the increasing network depreciation, resulting a net profit in the fourth quarter of 2017 of THB 7.70 billion, up 19 percent year-on-year and 3.1 percent quarter-on-quarter.
For the twelve months of 2017, total revenue was THB 157.7 billion, up 3.7 percent year-on-year. In 2017, AIS generated THB 65.5 billion of operating cash flow (after tax) increasing 6.3 percent year-on-year, following the improved EBITDA. Capex amounted to THB 41.1 billion, down from THB 47.5 billion in 2016. Total dividend paid was THB 23.19 billion.
The operator ended December 2017 with 40 million subscribers, after losing 130,000 net customers in the fourth quarter. AIS recorded 163,300 net addition in postpaid subscribers but 294,100 net loss in prepaid subscribers. Blended APRU rose 0.6 percent quarter-on-quarter to THB 256. At the end of 2017, AIS Fibre subscribers recorded 521,200 subscribers with 39,700 net additions quarter-on-quarter. ARPU slightly dropped to THB 635 from THB 637 in the third quarter of 2017.
For 2018, AIS expects its service revenue (excluding IC) to grow 7-8 percent year-on-year. The 2 percent growth, out of 7-8 percent, will come from consolidating 100 percent of CSL's revenue, AIS said. AIS also expects EBITDA margin to expand into a range of 45-47 percent. Total cash CAPEX (excluding spectrum payments) is expected to be in a range of THB 35 – 38 billion for both mobile and fixed broadband to respond to 4G growth and expanding fibre last miles.
