Vodafone Group Plc ("Vodafone") today announces further growth in its worldwide registered proportionate customer base during the quarter ended March 2001. Overall, more than 4.4 million proportionate registered customers were gained during the quarter bringing the total gained for the year to 30.1 million customers, of which 5.0 million customers have been added through stake increases. Vodafone's worldwide total proportionate base is now 83.4 million registered customers.
In the Europe Region, over 2.8 million proportionate customers were added during the period. This figure includes 1.6 million and 0.5 million proportionate net additions in the quarter from D2 Vodafone and Omnitel Vodafone, respectively. Europe's total proportionate customer base at the end of March is more than 49.6 million which includes an additional contribution following the Group's purchase of a 25% stake in Swisscom.
Strong growth was also recorded in the UK, Middle East and Africa Region where more than 0.8 million proportionate customers were added in the period, resulting in a proportionate customer base of more than 14.6 million. The UK recorded a total of over 0.6 million new customers, including 0.2 million new contract customers, bringing the total UK base to 12.3 million customers.
The total proportionate customer base in the Americas and Asia Region increased to over 16.3 million, having added over 0.5 million proportionate new customers. These figures include an adjustment relating to the 7.5% stake acquired to date in Japan Telecom. Progress continues to be made in the United States, with over 0.2 million proportionate new customers bringing the total proportionate base to 12.0 million customers.
Growth in the Pacific Region continued during the quarter resulting in total proportionate net additions of 0.3 million increasing the proportionate base to over 2.8 million customers.
Vodafone will report on its subsidiaries' active customers, as well as providing greater detail on various key performance indicators, such as average revenue per user and progress on data, on a quarterly basis following publication of the registered customer numbers.
Commenting Chris Gent, Chief Executive of Vodafone said; "Vodafone has delivered in excess of 50% customer growth for the fourth consecutive year, having added more than 30 million proportionate registered customers in the past year. The latest quarter reflects the slowdown in customer growth post the buoyant Christmas quarter and the initial effects of the adoption of our new commercial policies. In the year ahead, given the levels of penetration, we expect a slowdown in customer growth, as the Group's focus moves to margin improvement, customer retention and cash-flow growth, rather than customer growth and overall market share."