Optus mobile customers hit 8 million

iPhone drives stats but not profit.

Optus has breached the eight million mark for its mobile customer base for the first time, citing iPhone 3G and its ‘Timeless' plans among the reasons for its growth.

The overall growth in its customer base was 11 percent compared to the same time last year.

Optus was 2000 customers over the eight million mark, the figures revealed.

Some 213,000 mobile and wireless broadband customers were added during the past quarter. Over half were postpaid customers, Optus said.

"The growth was underpinned by demand for Apple iPhone 3G, other smart phones and ‘Timeless' plans," it said.

But increased customers numbers don't equate to equivalent increases in revenue and profit.

iTnews reported in May that Optus EBITDA margins would have been five percent higher if not for the hit the carrier took when it signed up iPhone customers.

"The iPhone launch had a dilutive impact on margins," the carrier said at the time.

Optus said that 3.76 million of the eight million customers were on the 3G network.