South Africa’s Cell C losses widen as it hunts for profitable customers

JOHANNESBURG: Cell C reported a 7.6 billion rand ($461 million) loss and saw subscriber numbers tumble in the first half of the year as South Africa’s fourth-biggest mobile operator tried to shift away from unprofitable customers to boost returns.

In a sign the strategy may be starting to work, annualised average revenue per user (ARPU) from prepaid customers rose 27%.

Chief executive Douglas Stevenson also told analysts that subscriber numbers had begun moving up again, as the company returned to putting more attractive offers into the market.