After registering a decline in its data card subscriber base for three consecutive quarters, Sistema Shyam Teleservices (SSTL) which operates in India as MTS India, has finally seen some growth - 1.21 million subscribers for the quarter ended September 30, 2013, up 4.5% from 1.16 million subscribers in the previous quarter. Non-voice revenues which includes data and VAS revenues declined quarter-on-quarter (QoQ) to Rs 97.9 crore, down 2.2% from Rs 100.1 crore in the previous quarter. However its contribution to MTS India's total quarterly revenues increased marginally to 34.5% for the quarter, up from 34.4% in the previous quarter. Highlights - Blended mobile ARPU increased by 6.8% to Rs 95 for the quarter, up from Rs 89 in the previous quarter, due to increase in usage minutes following improved quality of customer base. - Minutes of Use increased to 363 million minutes for the quarter, up 11% from 328 million minutes reported in the previous quarter. - SSTL's total mobile subscriber base declined marginally to 9.6 million subscribers for the quarter, down 1.8% from 9.8 million subscribers in the previous quarter. Sistema is currently operational in 9 of the 22 telecom circles in India, after shutting down its operations in 10 telecom circles in February 2013 and pulling the plug in additional three circles in the following month. The operational circles include the eight circles where it secured spectrum in the March spectrum auctions and Rajasthan circle which was unaffected by the Supreme Court judgment last year. - During the quarter, Sistema received unified licenses for eight circles it had won in…
