Ireland delivers by far the highest revenue per user of any Vodafone operation in the EU, according to new data released today by the company.
In Ireland average revenue per user (ARPU) was €542 for the 12 months to 31 December 2002. This compares with €432 in the UK, €377 in Spain, €347 in Italy and €312 in Germany.
A spokesman for Vodafone Ireland said the dramatic difference between Ireland and Germany reflects the demographics of the two countries, one with a young population engaging in high levels of voice and data usage, the other with an ageing population and a still relatively high degree of fixed-line usage.
Ireland and Japan are the two Vodafone locations where mobile data accounts for 20pc of overall revenues, a stated corporate objective worldwide.
For the group as a whole, data revenues account for 16pc of total service revenues, up from 12.7pc a year earlier.
During the quarter ending 31 December 2002, Vodafone increased its subscriber base by 24,000. The mobile operator has over 1.7 million prepaid and contract subscribers in the Irish market.
By Brian Skelly
