Three UK reports H1 21 results


Three UK delivers strongest customer growth since 2017, underpinned by strong demand for Home Broadband and B2B

At Three UK our mission is to provide better connectivity, every day, for every customer. The strategy to deliver this is centred on three key pillars: delivering growth, enhancing customer experience and increasing our brand awareness and appeal. All supported by a high-performance people driven culture.

Deliver Growth

  • We have seen encouraging growth during the period underpinned by a strong performance in Wholesale, Smarty, Home Broadband and Business as well as an increase in our active contract customer base
  • Revenue up 5% to £1,176m
  • Active contract customer base up 6% YOY, adding almost half a million subscribers to bring total to 7.7m representing the highest rate of growth in four years
  • Active customer handset churn 1.1%, down 15% YOY
  • SMARTY revenues increased by 154% reflecting launch of popular higher data plans during lockdown. Home Broadband customers increased by 33% YOY
  • Three Business customers more than doubled in H1
  • Total margin increased 1% to £719m despite difficult trading conditions
  • Overall net ARPU increase of +£0.24 reflecting the increased balance of contract to prepay customers
  • Increased Capex (excluding Spectrum) of 60% to £307m as a result of increased investment in the network

Enhance customer experience

  • Awarded the UK’s fastest 5G network by Ookla in H1 with media download speeds of 231Mbps
  • Average data usage per customer, per month of 16.7GB
  • Three UK covers 30% of the UK’s outdoor population with 5G coverage and 99% with its combined 3G and 4G network and carries 29% of mobile data traffic in the country. We are committed to investing in the network as we continue to rollout our 5G network
  • The largest, dedicated 5G spectrum, meaning customers will benefit from an outstanding experience, particularly indoors, as a result of the purchase of two 10MHz blocks of 700MHz spectrum which has tripled its low frequency spectrum holding
  • Continuing to build out 5G with investment in wider network to transform infrastructure and deliver the fastest 5G network as part of a 5-year programme
  • 5G now live in 300 UK locations across more than 1600 sites
  • An additional 600 sites have been built and are being prepared for go-live
  • Acquisition completed to allow build on 3500 5G sites in the UK
    • Build & planning underway for around 2,500 additional sites to deliver additional speed and capacity for customers
    • 4G connectivity enhanced on more than 2,000 sites with deployment of 1400MHz spectrum delivering extra capacity and speeds for customers
  • New network technology implemented amongst a host of measures introduced to combat fraud, leading to a 90% reduction in SPAM texts on the Three UK network

Broaden Brand Awareness and Appeal

  • Launch of new visual identity and brand platform to mark Three’s ‘coming of age’ almost two decades after it was founded in 2003
  • New visual identity has been backed by high impact TV, outdoor and social campaign to deliver increased spontaneous brand awareness
  • Strategic partnership with Chelsea Football Club, increasing brand awareness as the club’s primary sponsor of the men’s and women’s teams. Chelsea winning Champions League helped the brand reach 7.6m people in the UK and delivered millions in extra value
  • Successful sponsorship of Channel 4’s Gogglebox, the largest ever TV sponsorship in Three’s history – 48% of UK adult population tuned in in H1
  • Awarded Most Popular Network, Best Network for Data and Best for Roaming at 2021 Uswitch Awards

High performance people driven culture

  • Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging Steering Committee established to create an engaging and inclusive culture and embed diversity and inclusion into the very DNA of Three
  • Fit out of new, modern office started and to be completed this year
  • Hybrid working approach (part home, part office) agreed with employees and ambition to have all staff back in office before end of 2021
  • £500 offered to all staff to purchase home working equipment
  • Enhanced training providing to all people managers
  • Free access provided to LinkedIn Learning and Headspace app for all employees
  • Intake completed for Three’s first ever graduate programme

Robert Finnegan, Chief Executive of Three UK, said:

“I am really pleased with this set of results. We are making good progress on our strategic objectives and our mission of providing better connectivity, every day for every customer.  

“I am particularly encouraged by the growth in our customer numbers which we have delivered despite the ongoing challenging market conditions.

“Looking ahead, we are investing heavily in transforming our Network and IT infrastructure. Our rollout of our 5G network is continuing at pace with 5G now live in 300 locations.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all my colleagues for their contribution and their continued commitment to the business.”

– ENDS –

Media enquiries:

Headland

Andy Rivett-Carnac / Chloe Francklin

+44 (0)79 6899 7365 / +44 (0)78 3497 4624

three@headlandconsultancy.com

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