7.1 Million new subscribers for Vodafone in third quarter

Vodafone acquired 7.1 million new subscribers in the third quarter of 2005. This figure represents a 30% increase compared to numbers for the same period in 2004. It also exceeded analyst predictions which said that a hike in the British company’s number of new customers would not exceed 5.9 million.

The total number of subscribers that Vodafone has is 179.3 million. It is the largest network provider of mobile phones in terms of income, and it is also the second largest network provider in terms of clients. (China Mobile has the largest number of subscribers in the world.)

In an announcement made at the London Stock Exchange, the mobile phone operator said that of the 7.1 million new customers that it gained in the third quarter, 3.1 million of them were using its 3G mobile phone units. This new technology allows its customers to connect to the Internet at high speeds, place and receive video calls, and watch seamless video clips among others. Overall, Vodafone has 8 million 3G subscribers.

In addressing the London Stock Exchange regarding the hike on his company’s number of subscribers, Vodafone Chief Executive Arun Sarin said, “Vodafone has delivered a good operational performance in a challenging environment.”