OREANDA-NEWS. February 11, 2013. With 73,000 new customers, EMT maintained its 44% market share in 2012. The growth was driven by gains in voice and data services. In total, EMT served 868,000 customers at the end of 2012, reported the press-centre of EMT.

„Especially noteworthy is the increase of new contract subscriptions by more than 60,000,” said Valdo Kalm, CEO at EMT. „Contract subscribers tend to be more stable service users compared to prepaid customers. An increase in customer numbers is certainly an acknowledgment to the high quality of EMT, as most of our new customers say they chose EMT because of better service quality.”

The growth was driven by gains in voice and data services.
„As expected, 2012 saw a surge in mobile data use. Mobile traffic in EMT’s network increased by 3-fold and the number of data customers grew by 28% compared to 2011.”

In 2012, EMT invested EUR22 million in networks and services. EMT’s wireless network received a lot of attention, as the fast-paced rollout of 4G continued.

In 2012, EMT built 437 base stations, including 210 in the 4G network. As a result of these investments, EMT’s 4G now covers 35% of the country reaching 70% of the population. EMT’s 3.5G/GSM network reaches 99.5% of the country.

„In 2013, EMT will certainly continue with the development of the high-speed network and the 4G rollout,” Valdo Kalm said.

EMT’s revenue decreased 2% to EUR 174 million in 2012 compared to 2011. While wireless data revenue was up, the decrease in total revenue was attributed to falling voice service rates and influence of various regulations.

„We expect voice service rates to stabilize in 2013, as the networks require continuing investments in order to maintain high service quality,” Kalm noted.

EMT took the title of most competitive company at the 2012 Entrepreneurship Awards, which is Estonia’s an annual business competition arranged by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Employers' Confederation. Estonian business newspaper Aripaev named EMT „The most successful Estonian company in twenty years”.

One of the highlights of the year was the opening of the TeliaSonera IT Development center in Estonia on May 31, 2012. This center helps to create high-productivity jobs in Estonia.