Vodafone increases profits and usage

MORE than one billion text messages were sent by Vodafone customers in Ireland in the months leading up to Christmas — as global group sales soared 14% to £10.47 billion (€11.6bn).

Vodafone said its Irish customers exceeded the European average for voice minutes and messages sent, with customers here using on average 253 voice minutes and sending 160 messages in the three months to the end of 2008. This compares to a European average of 148 voice minutes and 77 messages.

Vodafone Ireland said that it had a customer base of 2.23 million at the end of the quarter while its fixed line and DSL business stood at 80,149, bringing Vodafone Ireland’s total base to 2.31 million.