Asia Pacific Broadband Wireless Communications Inc (
Asia Pacific Broadband, the only company in Taiwan offering wireless telecom services on next-generation CDMA2000 technology, has been struggling to turn a profit since its inception in 2003, but said the goal was achievable at this point in time.
The CDMA2000 technology enables high-speed transmission similar to the third-generation (3G) technology, which has been adopted by Taiwan's major telecom players including industry leader Chunghwa Telecom Co (中華電信).
PHOTO: WANG YI-HUNG, TAIPEI TIMES
"Growing revenues and reducing capital spending will help us to reach that goal," Asia Pacific Broadband chairman Wang Lin-tai (
Subscribers would expand over 30 percent to at least 1.38 million users next year after passing the one million mark last month, Wang said, adding that the growth would be faster if the nation's private consumption improves.
An increase in sign-ups would also give a boost to its annual revenues, which are set to rise by 50 percent year-on-year to NT$11.3 billion (US$350 million) from an estimate of NT$7.5 billion for this year, Wang added.
The margin for earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization would also improve to 25 percent next year from the current 16 percent, the mobile carrier said.
Capital spending for next year would be "minor," Wang said, as the telecom had already finished the base station deployment to enable full coverage.
Asia Pacific Broadband received US$210 million in syndicated bank loans in May to expand its network.
The telecom company has 2,300 base stations around the nation.
Asia Pacific Broadband is a member of Asia Pacific Telecom Group (
To boost its customer base, Asia Pacific Broadband spent NT$200 million to set up a retail store chain Asia TeleMart Co (亞太聯通) to sell numbers and handsets.
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