Telkom’s Revenue Rises 3.4% to $1.28 Billion in H1 of 2025, Fueled by Data Growth

Telkom’s revenue rose 3.4% to $1.28 billion in the first half of 2025, thanks mostly to a big jump in data revenue. The South African telecom giant shared this news after its group revenue increased from R21.38 billion to R22.1 billion (about $1.28 billion) in the six months ending September 30, 2025 (H1 FY2026). Data services took the lead, with data revenue growing nearly 8% to R13.072 billion, making up 59.1% of the company’s total income.

In their latest financial report, Telkom revealed that its headline earnings per share (HEPS), a key way to measure profit, rose sharply by 16.4%, from 191.5 cents the previous year to 305.6 cents in the same period this year. This gain was largely driven by their focus on expanding data services.

Group CEO Serame Taukobong said that this data-led strategy will keep driving growth for Telkom. He emphasized that the company is in a strong financial position and is committed to being a major player in South Africa’s digital future. He highlighted the hard work of Telkom’s employees, saying this success is a clear sign that their commitment to the data strategy is paying off.

Telkom’s mobile subscriber numbers also went up, growing 7.7% year-over-year from 22.8 million to 24.5 million. Most of this growth came from prepaid mobile users, which increased by 9%, while the postpaid user base dipped slightly by 0.6%.

The telecom’s mobile data revenue jumped 10.3%, and fibre-related data revenue shot up by 12.3%. Despite this growth, Telkom’s overall profit for the period was R1.60 billion, which is 2.1% lower than the previous year’s net profit.

Mobile service revenue climbed 7.9%, and average revenue per user (ARPU) went up by 4.1%, supporting the company’s leadership in the market. Although ARPU decreased slightly by 3.4% year-over-year, from R79.97 to R77.27, Telkom continues to show strong business fundamentals.

On the financial health front, Telkom’s net debt to EBITDA ratio stayed stable at 0.7x, helped by paying down R4.834 billion in debt during the reporting period. Its IT subsidiary, BCX, improved its EBITDA margin significantly, rising from 6.5% in the first quarter to 9.9% in the first half of 2025, showing that cost control and portfolio adjustments are working well.

Looking ahead to the second half of 2025, CEO Serame Taukobong sounded optimistic. He said that Telkom expects to keep pushing for revenue growth while carefully managing costs. The company will leverage its wide fibre network and strong mobile offerings to maintain steady growth, aiming for mid-single-digit increases in mobile service revenue.

As for profitability, Taukobong noted that EBITDA margins might soften a bit due to seasonal factors, such as investment in summer promotions and the festive season. Meanwhile, BCX plans to keep focusing on higher-margin revenue growth and strategic actions to boost performance in the coming months. The company will also keep strengthening its position as a key infrastructure player in South Africa’s telecom landscape.

Overall, Telkom’s revenue rising in H1 of 2025 shows how their focus on data and smart business moves are shaping a solid path forward. The company’s mix of growing subscribers, rising data income, and improved profits paints a clear picture of a telecom group ready to support South Africa’s digital future.

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