EE trumpeted a “return to growth in operating revenue” during the second quarter of 2015, up a slim 0.1 per cent to £1.51 billion.

Growth was up 2.2 per cent year-on-year when excluding regulatory impacts.

Olaf Swantee, the company’s CEO, said: “The business continues to focus squarely on improving customer satisfaction and on cross-selling our innovative range of consumer and B2B 4G connected products”.

It saw 4G net additions of 1.5 million during the quarter, taking its total to 10.9 million, which it said means it is “firmly on track” to hit its target of 14 million by year-end.

It now covers 90 per cent of the UK population with its 4G network, including 600 large towns and 6,000 villages and small towns.

Second quarter mobile ARPU was stable year-on-year including regulatory impact (up 2.2 per cent excluding this).

Ahead of its proposed merger with BT, EE also noted growth in its own fixed-line business, with revenue increasing by 18 per cent year-on-year. Its broadband customer base stood at 35,000. It said that a “successful cross-selling strategy and EE TV” drove growth in this segment.

In Q2, the £31 million regulatory impact was not the only draw on revenue: EE also saw declines in its prepaid business (down £15 million). But these were more than offset by a £19 million increase in postpaid and £28 million increase in fixed and wholesale revenue.

Highlights for the period included strong uptake of voice-over-Wi-Fi, with more than 1.2 million adopters, and the distribution of more than 1 million EE Power Banks, which it claims increase loyalty and drive retail footfall.

The company also launched “the world’s first 4G camera” during the period.

First half results
The company reported a profit attributable to shareholders of £97 million for the six months, up from £1 million in the prior year, on revenue which was essentially flat at £3.12 billion.

The company also provided adjusted EBITDA figures it described as “industry leading”, at £830 million, up 9.2 per cent year-on-year.

For the first half, mobile service revenue decreased by 1.9 per cent to £2.74 billion. Other revenue, including equipment, fixed broadband, and wholesale revenue, increased 16.9 per cent to £373 million.