Alternative operator group Tele2 talked up its data-centric strategy with Q1 results that saw mobile end-user service revenue leap 10 per cent to SEK 3.18 billion ($365 million).

The operator’s aim is to monetise its subscribers’ growing demand for 4G data, an approach it hopes will boost profit as well as revenue.

“The first quarter 2015 showed good progress towards our goals of sustainable, profitable growth via data monetisation,” said CEO Mats Granryd (pictured).

However, despite an encouraging five per cent increase in EBITDA to SEK1.43 billion, net profit actually slumped 12 per cent to SEK517 million.

Overall, net sales grew by six per cent to SEK6.51 billion. Adjusted for foreign exchange fluctuations, they rose by just two per cent.

Tele 2 Sweden is the poster child for the 4G-first strategy where the operator started to offer larger buckets of data to subscribers, leading to price-war accusations from rivals.

However, Swedish mobile end-user service revenue grew by five per cent compared to 10 per cent overall and 12 per cent in the Netherlands (Tele2’s second largest market), a relatively recent launch.  Tele2 has a presence in nine markets.

The company also confirmed its forecast for 2015 of EBITDA between SEK5.8 billion and SEK6.0 billion, against a 2014 performance of SEK5.9 billion.

It is forecasting revenue of between SEK25.5 billion and SEK26.5 billion, against last year’s SEK25.95 billion. Mobile end-user service revenue growth will be mid-single digits, it said.