Year-on-year growth of 38 per cent

Singapore, 1 November 2004 - Singapore Telecommunications Limited (SingTel) today announced that its aggregate number of mobile subscribers in the region increased by more than four million during the past three months to hit 56 million on 30 September 2004.

The combined mobile subscriber base of SingTel, SingTel Optus and the Group's four regional associates grew 38 per cent from about 41 million a year ago. On a proportionate basis, SingTel's subscriber base in the six markets - Australia, India, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand - increased 40 per cent to 23 million during the same period.

SingTel’s four Asian mobile associates - Advanced Info Service, Bharti, Globe and Telkomsel - all posted strong subscriber growth year on year, ranging from 17 to 88 per cent. Their combined subscriber base grew 43 per cent to 49 million.

SingTel Optus acquired 198,000 customers during the quarter, posting a 17 per cent year-on-year increase in subscribers, bringing its base to 5.9 million. The growth was achieved despite a mobile penetration of over 80 per cent in Australia.

In Singapore, SingTel maintained its subscriber base at more than 1.5 million in a highly saturated mobile market of about 90 per cent penetration rate. During the quarter, SingTel introduced new price plans and signed up about 19,000 new postpaid customers. These plans offer higher value to customers such as all day free incoming calls and more bundled free outgoing calls and SMS.

More details of the market and financial performance of the six mobile operations will be available when SingTel announces its results for the second quarter and half year ended 30 September 2004 on 4 November 2004.

At a glance

About SingTel

SingTel, Asia's leading communications group, is reaping the benefits of an international expansion strategy which has been successfully developed over the last 15 years. With significant operations in Singapore and Australia (through wholly-owned subsidiary SingTel Optus), the Group provides a comprehensive portfolio of services that include voice and data services over fixed, wireless and Internet platforms.

SingTel Optus is a leading Australian integrated communications company. Since commencing operations in 1992, Optus has invested more than A$7 billion in the construction of fixed, mobile and satellite networks. Optus' mobile business unit has captured around one third of the total Australian GSM mobile market.

SingTel is also a strategic investor in four of the region's most successful mobile operations. It has a 21.5 per cent stake in Advanced Info Service (AIS), Thailand's largest mobile operator. In India, the Group has a 28.5 per cent interest in the Bharti Group, the country's largest GSM operator. One of SingTel's earliest investments in the region is Globe Telecom in the Philippines. Today, it has a 40.1 per cent stake in the company. SingTel has a 35.0 per cent stake in Indonesia's largest mobile operator, Telkomsel.

The SingTel Group had a turnover of S$12.0 billion (US$7.17.billion) and net profit after tax of S$4.49 billion (US$2.68 billion) for the year ended 31 March 2004. For the year, AIS, Bharti, Globe and Telkomsel contributed S$927 million in pre-tax earnings (excluding exceptional items) to the Group. The four associates also contributed S$223 million in dividends for the year. More information can be found at www.singtel.com.

Media contacts: