Regional telecommunication power house Axiata is making positive strides for financial year 2017 after a challenging 2016. Reporting its first quarter performance ending 31 March the group revenue stood at RM5.9 billion an RM900 million increase compared to previous years Q1. Axiata attributed the increase to strong data growth which grew 10% quarter on quarter and 43% from the year before.

Across the 6 countries the group is involved, Indonesia and Malaysia are the main contributor to the coffers constituting to more than 60% to the overall revenue. Celcom Axiata continues to be recovering from the rationalisation exercise and plays a key role providing RM1.6 billion to the group.

Celcom grew its postpaid revenue by 1.2% QoQ driven by its enhanced postpaid plans, First Gold 80 and First Platinum. This in turn delivered ARPU at RM81 showing signs of softening revenue decline while data revenue grew 29.8% and contributed 44.8% to total service revenue.

Tan Sri Jamaludin Ibrahim, President & Group Chief Executive Officer of Axiata cautioned “heightened competition and tax and regulatory challenges are a constant in the industry” and will remain prudent in its finances, and execute a group-wide cost optimisation.