French operator Bouygues Telecom reported revenues down 7 percent to EUR 2.68 billion in the first half, with a 10 percent decline in the second quarter alone. The lower sales reflected the introduction of new price plans and a smaller mobile customer base resulting from increased competition with the market entry of Free Mobile. Bouygues Telecom lost 379,000 mobile customers in the first quarter and 71,000 in the second quarter, due mainly to the departure of prepaid customers. The operator added a net 55,000 postpaid mobile customers in the second quarter. The B&You low-cost brand had 452,000 customers at the end of June. Bouygues Telecom also reported 70,000 net fixed broadband additions in the second quarter, taking its total fixed broadband base to 1.4 million at the end of June. Bouygues Telecom's EBITDA shrank by 16 percent to EUR 559 million in the first half, and its current operating profit came in 55 percent lower at EUR 148 million, which it partly attributed to an increase in provisions and higher amortisation expenses. Net profit was down 57 percent to EUR 92 million. The operator expects its EBITDA to be around EUR 900 million in the full year and has put in place a EUR 300 million adjustment and savings plan to reduce marketing and operating costs, whose full impact is expected to be felt in 2013.
