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Omantel Q3 profit claim awaits official confirmation

Oman Telecommunications Company has not yet published financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2026, leaving an assertion that third-quarter net profit rose to 29.1 million rials from 28 million rials a year earlier without official confirmation.

Omantel’s next earnings release covering the September quarter is expected in November, according to currently available market information. Searches of the company’s investor disclosures, Muscat Stock Exchange-related announcements and other public financial records available by October 5 did not identify a filing supporting the stated 29.1 million-rial quarterly profit.

The timing is significant because the September quarter ended only days ago. Omantel normally releases detailed quarterly accounts after the reporting period has closed and the figures have undergone the company’s internal review and approval process.

Available information nevertheless shows that broadband and other core telecommunications services have remained important contributors to Omantel’s domestic revenue performance. The company has continued investing in fibre, fixed wireless and next-generation mobile infrastructure while expanding its information and communications technology businesses.

Omantel’s first-quarter 2026 performance showed domestic telecommunications revenue rising strongly, with fixed-line and wholesale operations among the contributors. Domestic revenue increased about 8.5 per cent year on year to 178 million rials during that quarter, while the company continued investing in its network and technology operations.

The operator has also been shifting customers towards higher-value broadband connections. Earlier company disclosures showed fixed broadband average revenue per user benefiting from migration away from legacy copper infrastructure towards fibre and 4G and 5G fixed-wireless services.

That strategy has become increasingly important as traditional voice services face structural pressure and operators seek growth from data consumption, enterprise connectivity, cloud computing and digital services. Omantel has also been building its technology portfolio through information technology, Internet of Things and smart solutions.

The company's first-half performance indicated that fixed broadband remained resilient. Fixed broadband subscribers stood at about 322,000, while average monthly revenue per user had risen to about 28.7 rials, supported by migration to higher-value fibre and wireless connections.

Omantel has simultaneously sought to protect mobile revenue through migration of customers from prepaid to postpaid packages. Its first-half disclosures showed postpaid subscribers at about 1.82 million, alongside a broadly stable prepaid base of roughly 1.4 million.

Profitability, however, has been affected by the cost of continued investment. Higher depreciation associated with spending on networks, digital channels and technology initiatives has weighed on earnings even as revenue expanded. The company's domestic net profit declined during the first half of 2025 despite higher operating earnings, illustrating the effect that depreciation and investment costs can have on bottom-line performance.

Group results also depend heavily on Omantel's controlling investment in Kuwait-based Zain Group, meaning consolidated earnings can differ substantially from the performance of the company's Oman operations. Zain's businesses across several Middle Eastern and African markets contribute the majority of Omantel Group revenue and can materially affect consolidated profit.

For the nine months ended September 30, 2025, Omantel Group revenue reached 2.49 billion rials, an increase of 11.2 per cent from the corresponding period. Group net profit stood at 243.4 million rials, while profit attributable to Omantel shareholders rose 16.3 per cent to 52 million rials.

Domestic revenue for that nine-month period increased 8.9 per cent to 493.2 million rials. Growth came from core telecommunications activities as well as expanding ICT operations, while a reduction in the royalty rate applicable to mobile services provided additional support to profitability.

The company has been pursuing a broader transformation from a conventional telecommunications operator towards a technology-focused business. Its investments encompass cloud services, hosting, cybersecurity, Internet of Things applications, fintech and digital platforms alongside fibre and mobile connectivity.
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