[May 13, 2013] Mobile competition cuts into Bezeq revenue Tweet May 13, 2013 (Globes - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- Bezeq Israeli Telecommunication Co. Ltd. (TASE: BEZQ) today published its financial report for the first quarter of 2013, the first financials signed by new CEO Stella Handler. Bezeq's revenue fell 12 percent to NIS 2.41 billion for the first quarter from NIS 2.74 billion for the corresponding quarter of 2012. Bezeq attributed the drop in revenue to lower revenue in the mobile segment ( Pelephone Communications Ltd.), due to lower handset sales and mobile services revenue, as a result of increased competition. Bezeq's fixed-line revenue fell to NIS 1.13 billion for the first quarter from NIS 1.2 billion for the corresponding quarter, and Pelephone's revenue fell 22 percent to NIS 964 million from NIS 1.24 billion. Bezeq International Ltd. reported a slight increase in revenue to NIS 346 million for the first quarter, and DBS Satellite Services (1998) Ltd. (YES) reported a slight drop in revenue to NIS 404 million. Bezeq's net profit fell 16 percent to NIS 497 million for the first quarter from NIS 591 million for the corresponding quarter. Pelephone had 2.74 million subscribers at the end of March, down from 2.88 million subscribers a year earlier. Average minutes of use per subscriber rose 7.2 percent to 440 minutes a month in the first quarter from 399 minutes in the corresponding quarter, but average revenue per user (ARPU) fell 3.9 percent to NIS 86 per month from NIS 97 per month in the corresponding quarter. ___ (c)2013 the Globes (Tel Aviv, Israel) Visit the Globes (Tel Aviv, Israel) at www.globes.co.il/serveen/globes/nodeview.asp fid=942 Distributed by MCT Information Services [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]