Yoigo, the Spanish start-up 3G operator controlled by Sweden’s TeliaSonera, claims to have signed-up over 1 million subscribers to date. The milestone suggests that the outlook at the previously struggling operator is beginning to improve, as it added almost 250,000 new customers during the last quarter of 2008. In a statement, Yoigo said it has deployed over 2,500 antennas in Spain since launching in December 2006, and has a retail network of 400 shops.

Reports last year suggested that TeliaSonera, which owns 76.6 percent of Yoigo, was looking to offload the under-performing subsidiary amid reports that Yoigo was on track to report a loss in full-year EBITDA of more than SEK1 billion (US$122 million). According to Wireless Intelligence data, Yoigo had just a 1.77 percent share of the Spanish market in fourth-quarter 2008. It competes in Spain with Telefonica (Movistar), Orange and Vodafone.