Optus faces operating revenue decline

However, it reported a stable EBITDA, with a margin that improved by 1.1 percentage points to 25 per cent.

The company also reported that its mobile service revenue declined by four per cent since the last quarter, as a result of reduced mobile termination rates, service credits associated with device repayment plans introduced from October 2011, as well as lower equipment sales.

Its EBITDA increased one per cent to $379 million from reduced traffic and selling expenses. Excluding the impact of service credits on device repayment plans, outgoing service revenue grew by one per cent.

Optus' post-paid customer base grew with net additions of 132,000 for the quarter, including 60,000 from Vividwireless. Post-paid customers comprised 56 per cent of the total base, up three percentage points from a year ago.

But its pre-paid customer base declined by 100,000, as a result of handset subsidiary reduction and higher churn.