Melita Internet wins 88% of market subscriber growth

Melita's broadband internet subscriber base grew by almost 12% over the previous year.

More significantly, 88% of all growth in the Internet market during the same period went to Melita. Melita is the only internet provider which offers speeds of up to 100 Megabits nationwide without the need for complex installations.

"Melita has invested significantly in its local network as well its international connection to the Internet with the objective of delivering fast and reliable speeds nationwide. These investments are felt by our customers and it is resulting in positive take-up of our products. The results are also showing international speed and quality tests which regularly confirm Melita as the fastest and most reliable internet service provider in Malta," said Melita's CEO, Andrei Torriani.

Just a few weeks ago Melita announced it upgraded its Fibre Power broadband customers to 30 Megabit and 60 Megabit for free. This upgrade followed another upgraded which was done earlier this year placing most of its clients on packages of up to 15 Megabit per second. These upgrades follow on the back of an investment by Melita which connects the company to one of only six Tier 1 internet providers in the world - "Level 3" - through a direct link between Malta and Milan.

The same MCA report shows that Melita Mobile registered a significant 30% growth over the same period last year. With over 65,000 subscribers, Melita Mobile now accounts for 11.8% of the market subscribers. More importantly Melita Mobile subscribers tend to call more and talk longer due to the affordable rates including free calls to other Melita clients. As a result Melita Mobile now accounts for 22% of all mobile call time in Malta.

"Our commitment to offer affordable mobile telephony rates has been clear and consistent since launch. This is recognised by our customers who are growing in numbers each day and switching from other operators to benefit from the great value offered by our plans. We have also invested significantly in the quality of our network based on customer feedback. Our investment plan continues throughout 2013 to ensure that we deliver an experience at par or better than what our competitors offer," Torriani said.

In fixed telephony business, while the overall market performance showed a declining subscriber base, Melita has actually increased subscribers by almost 11% over the previous year. Customers are opting to switch to a more affordable solution offered by Melita with tariff plans offering free calls to all networks at a fixed monthly price.

Melita has defended its position in the TV market, remaining stable in both subscribers and market share. In the same period more customers have opted to switch to the digital or high definition platform.

"Overall this has been a very good quarter and year for Melita. This is the result of significant investment and support from our shareholders but most importantly the dedication and commitment of all our team members. We have a clear and consistent strategy of delivering more value to our customers. 2013 will see us build further in this direction," Torriani said.