Malaysia-based Digi recorded declines in profit and revenue in Q3, as weakness in its prepaid business offset gains in post-paid sales and subscribers.

Net profit fell 2.5 per cent compared with Q3 2020 to MYR313 million ($75.3 million) due to higher depreciation and amortisation costs stemming from an increase in the value of network asset.

Service revenue declined 2.3 per cent to MYR1.34 billion, with a fall in the prepaid segment offsetting a rise in post-paid.

Digi used a statement to explain the prepaid drop resulted from a prolonged lockdown since June and a decision to exit the low end of the migrant segment.

CEO Albern Murty stated it continued to invest in its network to “better serve customers, while sustaining efforts to drive societal recovery”.

Device sales increased 17.6 per cent to MYR241 million.

Mobile subscribers declined 2.9 per cent, with post-paid growing 7.4 per cent to 3.2 million and prepaid dropping 7.1 per cent to 7.1 million.

Blended ARPU improved 1 per cent to MYR43, with post-paid dropping 5.8 per cent and prepaid up 2.8 per cent.

Average monthly data usage per subscriber increased 28.7 per cent to 22.4GB.

Capex in the nine months to end-September increased 5 per cent year-on-year to MYR523 million, or 11 per cent of total revenue, slightly higher.