HT SEES RISE IN INCOME FROM ALL SERVICES IN 2000

ZAGREB, Oct 18 (Hina) - The Croatian Telekom (HT) increased its total income by 20 percent in the business year 2000 as against the previous year. The earnings totalled 6.2 billion kuna (approx. 751.5 million US dollars), while the net profit climbed by 28.31 percent to 920 million kuna (USD111.5 million) compared to 1999, reads an annual report released by the HT recently. 2000 was the first full business year since Deutsche Telekom purchased 35 percent of the Croatian company's shares on 5 October 1999. The rise in the 2000 earnings was especially visible in the fixed network and cellular telephone services. The income in the fixed network came to 4.3 billion kuna (USD 521 million), a 23.1 percent increase as against 1999. The highest rise of 31.8 percent was registered in the mobile network, which ensured 1.1 billion kuna (USD 130 million) last year. At the end of 2000, the HT had over 580,000 subscribers to its mobile services. The earnings from Internet services rose by 21.4 percent to 272 million kuna (USD32.8 million). Last year, 148,000 people used Internet services via the HT. In 2000, the average monthly number of employees in the HT was 11,219. According to the annual report, adopted by the HT supervisory board before this summer, promotion accounted for the largest part of expenses. In 2000, they tripled to 129 million kuna (USD15.6 million). The company's assets rose by 600 million to 10 billion kuna (USD 1.21 billion). (hina) ms