French media conglomerate Vivendi reported a 6.9 percent decline in adjusted net income to EUR649 million for first-quarter 2009, but reported solid results at SFR, the French mobile operator that it jointly-owns with Vodafone. SFR’s revenues increased by 31.5 percent to EUR3 billion compared to the same period in 2008, due mainly to the consolidation of Neuf Cegetel in April 2008. Mobile revenues totalled EUR2.2 billion, stable compared to the year-earlier period due to a decrease in equipment sales by EUR22 million to EUR77 million. Mobile service revenues increased by 1.2 percent to EUR2.1 billion, which the operator attributed to growth in the customer base and in data revenues (the latter rising 36 percent compared to the same period in 2008). However, mobile EBITDA decreased by EUR46 million year-on-year to EUR827 million.

SFR added 118,000 net new mobile customers in the quarter which it claimed represented a 51 percent market share of net additions. This figure included 178,000 new post-paid customers. The operator also noted that it has already sold 120,000 iPhones since launching the device on 8 April 2009. Vivendi also added 174,000 new mobile customers (net) at its Morocco-based Maroc Telecom business, reaching 14.6 million in total, a rise of 6.8 percent over the year earlier period.