Emirates Integrated Telecommunications Company, du, today published its financial results for the first quarter of 2017 showing a 2.5% rise in revenue to AED3.17 billion. Net Profit before royalty decreased by 16.7% to AED851.2 million, compared with Q1 2016.

Commenting on the results, Osman Sultan, EITC’s Chief Executive Officer, said, "Despite challenging market conditions, we made steady progress on the implementation of our strategy of customer experience improvement and digital transformation. Revenue grew at a steady pace, underpinned by an increase in our fixed line business, offsetting pressure on mobile revenue during the quarter. We continued our focus on identifying efficiencies during the quarter, which will enable us to deliver long-term value for our stakeholders.

"With a growing mobile subscriber base of more than eight million, it is clear our customers appreciate the value of EITC’s products and services. Data remains a core pillar of our business and the demand for connectivity continues to grow. With data usage showing few signs of slowing, the challenge for our company, as well as the entire telecoms industry, is how best to monetise these new forms of communication. At EITC, we believe that by embracing change and encouraging innovation we can meet the evolving needs of our customers.

"During the quarter, we announced our second brand, Virgin Mobile, to the public, cementing our reputation as a digital transformation partner of choice and a leading ICT solutions provider. The initial response has been overwhelmingly positive and we are truly excited about the opportunity Virgin Mobile presents in meeting the growing requirements of the fast-paced and dynamic country in which we operate.

"Moving forward, we will continue to align our business with the UAE’s Smart Government initiatives in accordance with Vision 2021. We remain firmly on track to capitalize and flourish in a truly digital future, one that makes the lives of our customers, and the wider society simpler, richer and ultimately happier."