Pakistan-based Jazz booked double-digit growth in its top-line for the opening quarter of 2021, with strong LTE uptake and higher data usage following network expansion.

Mobile subscribers increased 11.7 per cent year-on-year to 69 million, with 4G users growing 62.3 per cent to 28.7 million, pushing LTE penetration to 42 per cent from 29 per cent.

Data revenue of PKR20.5 billion ($133.5 million) was up 28.4 per cent, contributing to an overall 10.3 per cent rise in service revenue to PKR50.4 billion.

ARPU remained at PKR246, while average data usage rose 49.9 per cent to 4.5GB.

Monthly active users of JazzCash grew 79 per cent to 13.9 million, with revenue up 27 per cent.

The Veon-owned operator doesn’t disclose net profit, but revealed EBITDA grew 8.1 per cent to PKR24.7 billion on total revenue of PKR55.1 billion, 11.7 per cent higher.

Excluding spectrum licences, capex increased 36.3 per cent to PKR14.6 billion, representing 21.5 per cent of revenue compared with 18.1 per cent in Q1 2020.

The company said its 4G network continued to be the principal investment focus, with population coverage expanding from 54 per cent to 61 per cent.