Japanese mobile operator NTT Docomo grew its net income 3.5 percent to JPY 164.3 billion in the fiscal first quarter, compared to JPY 158.7 billion a year earlier, on increased smartphone sales and data revenues. Operating revenues were JPY 1.07 trillion, growing 2.4 percent from JPY 1.05 trillion in the year-ago quarter, with mobile service revenues totalling JPY 827.2 billion, down 2.8 percent year-on-year. However, packet revenues rose 9 percent to JPY 485.1 billion. Operating expenses rose 3.9 percent to JPY 809.7 billion on increased equipment sales expenses and increased other expenses, and operating income stood at JPY 262.6 billion, down 1.9 percent. EBITDA margin slipped 1.2 percentage points year-on-year to 39.6 percent. Docomo sold 5.17 million handsets in the quarter, up 11.2 percent from last year, and expects handset sales to hit 23.80 million for the full year. Of the total handset sales, 2.49 million units were smartphones, up 92 percent year-on-year. The operator also gained 270,000 net adds and ended the quarter with 60.40 million subscribers, which includes 3.32 million Xi (LTE) customers.
