Best Quarter ever in terms of new customers
Revenues over ? 157 million
On March 31st over 376,000 subscribers
Milan, April 13th 2004 - e.Biscom S.p.A. (Milan, Nuovo Mercato: EBI), Italy's leading broadband telecommunications company, announces its preliminary consolidated first quarter 2004 results, further confirming its strong quarter by quarter growth trend in terms of revenues, customers and EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization).
In the first quarter 2004, e.Biscom's consolidated revenues exceeded ? 157 million, an increase of 55% with respect to ? 101.7 million recorded during the same year-ago period and more than double ? 78.1 million not including HanseNet.
A further significant increase in margins was also reported. In the first quarter 2004, e.Biscom's consolidated EBITDA was over ? 46 million, more than three times the ? 13.8 million reported for the same year-ago period, and more than four times the ? 10.5 million reported for the first quarter 2003 not including HanseNet. This result further confirms the high profitability of e.Biscom's business model.
At March 31st 2004 the total number of FastWeb's customers was over 376,000, that is over 46,000 new customers with respect to the 330,600 announced at the end of 2003. Therefore, the first quarter 2004 was the best quarter ever in terms of acquisition of new customers. The remarkable increase recorded for the first quarter of the year was partly due to the further diffusion of its television services and partly to the expansion of its potential client base. In the first quarter 2004, FastWeb expanded its network to Modena and Padua, furthered its coverage within the cities already reached by its services, completed the wiring of suburban Milan and started that of suburban Turin.
The above-mentioned numbers are preliminary and subject to possible modification. The final consolidated first quarter 2004 results will be approved by the Board on May 11th.