German cable network operator Unitymedia saw its cable revenues grow by 11 percent to EUR 200 million in the first quarter of this year compared with the first quarter of 2007. The total revenues grew to EUR 299 million in the first quarter and the EBITDA grew to EUR 105 million of which EUR 95 million was cable EBITDA (up 15%). Unitymedia reports a net profit for the first quarter of EUR 44 million compared with a net loss of EUR 70 million in the first quarter of 2007. Unitymedia’s pay-TV platform Arena generated revenues of EUR 98.5 million, including EUR 27.2 million of Premiere share revenue recognition and EUR 43.6 million in sublicense fees. A further EUR 5 million of other income in the quarter primarily related to income generated from the shutdown of broadcast operations which has been excluded from Adjusted EBITDA. Arena’s EBITDA amounted to EUR 5 million.
On 31 March of this year, Unitymedia had 5.816 million RGUs inclduign 4.733 million basic cable subscribers and 1.083 million new services subscribers. The new services subscriber base grew by 71.4 percent year-on-year driven by large growth of broadband internet and telephony subscribers. Of the basic cable subscribers, 925,000 use digital TV services and of the new service subscribers, 485,000 use paid digital TV services. The number of broadband customers more than doubled year-on-year to 244,000 and the telephony customer base almost tripled to 222,000 on 31 March of this year. Arena’s satellite subscriber base decreased from 353,000 in Q1 2007 to 335,000 subscribers on 31 March. Blended monthly ARPU across all cable products was EUR 12.14 for the quarter, up 14% percent from EUR 10.63 year on year, reflecting an increased basic cable ARPU and increased incremental new services ARPU contribution of EUR 2.53 in Q1 2008 compared to EUR 1.51 in Q1 2007. The monthly basic cable ARPU for the quarter was EUR 9.60, up from EUR 9.12 year on year, primarily reflecting the 1 January 2008 price increase and digitalisation of the analogue single user base. Blended Broadband 2Play ARPU was EUR 30.73 including internet and telephony and Unity3play ARPU including the average basic cable service amounted to EUR 40.33. The satellite ARPU for the quarter was EUR 18.70.
