SoftBank Corp recorded a decline in mobile revenue and ARPU in its fiscal Q2 (to end-September) due to the impact of what it called intensifying competition from a wave of new low-cost price plans, with its bottom-line taking a hit despite steady revenue growth.

Mobile service revenue declined 7.1 per cent year-on-year to JPY403.8 billion ($3.54 billion), with total ARPU down 4.9 per cent to JPY4,090. Equipment sales jumped 21 per cent to JPY137.9 billion.

The operator closed the quarter with more than 10 million 5G subscribers. Total mobile subs rose 3.2 per cent per cent to 48.1 million.

Net profit for the July to September period fell 4.1 per cent to JPY156.3 billion, on total revenue of JPY1.37 trillion, up 8.9 per cent. The increase was due in large part to consolidation of Line Corp into its operations, but one-time costs associated with the acquisition hurt profitability.

Broadband revenue inched up 2.3 per cent to JPY101 billion, while enterprise sales rose 4.2 per cent to JPY179.3 billion. Sales from the Yahoo Japan and Line segment grew 33.3 per cent to JPY377.6 billion.

Its full-year guidance for fiscal 2022 ending 31 March remained unchanged from May when it forecast revenue of JPY5.5 trillion, operating income of JPY975 billion and net profit of JPY500 billion.

Capex in the quarter jumped 44.1 per cent from a year earlier to JPY340.6 billion.