EXHIBIT 99.6
MEDIA RELEASE
TRADING UPDATE
Vodacom results for the period ended June 30, 2008
Group revenue increased by 14.5% year on year for the quarter ended June 30, 2008, while customers increased by 6.6% since June 30, 2007.
As at June 30, 2008, Vodacom Group recorded 34.6 million customers across its networks operating in South Africa, Tanzania, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Lesotho and Mozambique, reflecting a 1.7% increase in the three months since March 31, 2008.
South Africa
South Africa continued to increase its customer base despite an increasingly competitive market.
South Africa | March 31, 2008 | June 30, 2008 | % change |
Customers (thousands) | 24,821 | 24,891 | 0.3 |
Contract | 3,541 | 3,643 | 2.9 |
Prepaid | 21,177 | 21,138 | (0.2) |
Community services | 103 | 110 | 6.8 |
Inactive customers (3 months - %) | 10.3 | 11.0 | 0.7 pts |
Contract | 4.0 | 3.7 | (0.3 pts) |
Prepaid | 11.4 | 12.3 | 0.9 pts |
ARPU (ZAR) * | 128 | 130 | 1.6 |
Contract | 486 | 481 | (1.0) |
Prepaid | 62 | 64 | 3.2 |
Community services | 689 | 597 | (13.4) |
Churn (%) | 42.3 | 40.6 | (1.7 pts) |
Contract | 8.3 | 9.6 | 1.3 pts |
Prepaid | 47.9 | 46.0 | (1.9 pts) |
Estimated mobile SIM card penetration (%) | 94 | 96 | 2 pts |
Estimated mobile market share (%) | 55 | 54 | (1 pt) |
Non-South African operations
Vodacom’s non-South African operations increased their total customer base by 5.4% since March 31, 2008 to 9.7 million customers.
Non-South African operations | March 31, 2008 | June 30, 2008 | % change |
Vodacom Tanzania | |||
Customers (thousands) | 4,207 | 4,495 | 6.8 |
Contract | 16 | 18 | 12.5 |
Prepaid | 4,181 | 4,467 | 6.8 |
Public phones | 10 | 10 | - |
ARPU (ZAR) * | 51 | 50 | (2.0) |
Churn (%) | 45.5 | 45.0 | (0.5 pts) |
Estimated mobile market share (%) | 52 | 52 | - |
Vodacom Congo | |||
Customers (thousands) | 3,289 | 3,454 | 5.0 |
Contract | 21 | 23 | 9.5 |
Prepaid | 3,209 | 3,354 | 4.5 |
Public phones | 59 | 77 | 30.5 |
ARPU (ZAR) * | 60 | 64 | 6.7 |
Churn (%) | 48.0 | 55.8 | 7.8 pts |
Estimated mobile market share (%) | 41 | 40 | (1 pt) |
Vodacom Lesotho | |||
Customers (thousands) | 395 | 421 | 6.6 |
Contract | 4 | 4 | - |
Prepaid | 383 | 408 | 6.5 |
Public phones | 8 | 9 | 12.5 |
ARPU (ZAR) * | 74 | 68 | (8.1) |
Churn (%) | 17.8 | 18.5 | 0.7 pts |
Estimated mobile market share (%) | 80 | 80 | - |
Vodacom Mozambique | |||
Customers (thousands) | 1,282 | 1,302 | 1.6 |
Contract | 21 | 23 | 9.5 |
Prepaid | 1,250 | 1,267 | 1.4 |
Public phones | 11 | 12 | 9.1 |
ARPU (ZAR) * | 31 | 36 | 16.1 |
Churn (%) | 58.7 | 64.1 | 5.4 pts |
Estimated mobile market share (%) | 40 | 40 | - |
* Total ARPU is calculated by dividing the average monthly revenue during the period by the average monthly total reported customer base during the period. ARPU excludes revenues from equipment sales and other sales and services. With effect from April 1, 2008, ARPU calculations include revenues from national roamers and international visitors roaming on Vodacom’s network. Historical ARPU numbers have been restated inline with this new methodology.