MTN Ghana closed 2012 with a record 96.1% increase in data revenue on the back of it data-related promotions supported by affordable handsets, lower data prices, and appealing data bundle packages, its annual report for 2012 said.

The 96.1% increase in data revenue comprised of 95% internet-based data consumption, and 1.1% SMS.

The company recorded a total of local currency revenue of GHC1.552 billion over the 12 month period, and data revenue constituted 8.1% of the total.

This was no different from what happened at the MTN Group level, where data revenue increased by a whopping 60% and drove total revenue up by almost 11% for the year.

MTN Ghana has since 2011 embarked on a campaign to boost data consumption by encouraging internet use through its internet festival (i-Fest) project, which comes off every September since 2011. But beyond i-Fest the company sustains public interest in the internet with its attractive data packages.

Even though the contribution of data to the total revenue is still relatively low, last year’s 8.1% was better than the 5.5% contribution in 2011 and the 7% recorded in 2010.

All the telcos have been speaking of plans and measures to focus on data as a major source of revenue going forward, as the voice market gradually becomes saturated. Analyst say MTN could only be on the track.

Meanwhile, MTN’s annual results, published on its website also indicated that last year’s total revenue was 21.5% higher than that of the previous year, 2011.

EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortization), otherwise known as operational profits, rose by 18% in local currency. But “EBITDA margins reduced slightly from 38% to 37% due to rent and utilities costs from the leasing of towers,” the report said.

Meanwhile, the company said it also recorded significant growth in airtime sales via MTN Mobile Money, which supported a reduction in commissions, which would have gone to scratch card and other forms of airtime dealers.

ARPU (average revenue per user) in local currency rose from GHC11.14 in first quarter (Q1) of 2012 to GHC11.49 in the fourth quarter (Q4). But dollar terms, it fell from $6.57 in Q1 to $6.06 in Q4 due to the depreciation of the cedi against the dollar.

MTN reported that its subscriber base was 11.735 million by the close of the year, representing 50.5% market share, contrary to the National Communication Authority (NCA) report that MTN closed the year as market leader with 45% market share.

The company however noted that its market share of 50.5% was after a decline by a 1.9 percentage points from the same period last year.

It attributed the decline to heightened competition and congested marketplace characterized by the launch of a sixth operator, Glo, in the second quarter of the year; and aggressive offerings by two of the incumbent operators.

The telecom giant closed the year with a cash position of ZAR933 million (GHC198, 104,758) at current exchange rate) , which is higher than the ZAR599 million (GHC127,186,227 at current exchange rate) recorded at the close of the previous year.

But MTN Ghana got authorization to spend only ZAR1.024 billion (GHC217,426,873) this year, which is less than the ZAR1.128 billion (GHC239,509,289.5) approved for spending last year, out of which it actually spent ZAR 1.091 billion (GHC231,653,045), still higher than what was approved this year, a clear indication of budget cuts by the market leader.

Meanwhile, it has also targeted 800,000 additional subscribers for 2013, which is just half of the number of subscribers it gained in 2012 (1.6million), and still less than the 950,000 it targeted for last year.