Kazakhtelecom Q1 sales jump 17%; group aims for 80% 5G coverage by end-2027

Kazakhstan’s state-backed fixed and mobile telecoms group Kazakhtelecom posted a 17% year-on-year rise in revenues to KZT167 billion (USD372 million) in the first quarter of 2023, driven by growth in its fixed network turnover and at its dual mobile subsidiaries Kcell and Tele2-Altel. Group net profit climbed 14% y-o-y to KZT33 billion in January-March 2023 while quarterly EBITDA improved by 21% to push EBITDA margin up two percentage points y-o-y to 49%.

Kazakhtelecom also stated that Kcell and Tele2-Altel will jointly deploy 5G mobile networks with 80% population coverage by the end of 2027. TeleGeography’s GlobalComms Database notes that Kcell and Tele2-Altel are obliged under their 3500MHz spectrum licensing conditions to build over 7,000 5G base stations to cover 75% of major cities and 60% of regional centres by end-2027, while the operators have indicated a goal to pass the 7,000-plus network site total early, by end-2025.