Digi, the Romanian telecommunications group, continues to challenge Spain’s major operators with its first-half performance in Spain reaching 369.1 million euros in revenue. This figure marks a 23.07% year-over-year increase, even as the wider Spanish market shows stagnant revenue growth across the sector. In comparison, Telefónica recorded only a modest rise of 1.2%, Masmovil’s Masorange grew by 0.11%, and Vodafone remains the laggard, posting declines over recent years. These numbers underscore Digi’s momentum in Spain, where it is pursuing an aggressive expansion strategy while incumbent operators keep a slower pace.
Executives highlighted that the surge in Spain’s revenue stems from a growing customer base, driven largely by compelling offers that resonate with consumers. By the end of June, Digi Spain reported 1.67 million fixed-line customers, reflecting a 50.6% increase from the same month in 2023. The mobile segment tallied 5.29 million customers, up 23.2% year over year, complemented by 544,000 fixed-line connections, an impressive 49.5% increase. In total, Digi Spain serves 7.51 million customers, a 30% year-over-year gain. This growth trajectory demonstrates the company’s ability to convert market opportunities into tangible customer acquisitions across both fixed and mobile services.
A closer look at profitability reveals that the average monthly revenue per user (ARPU) in Spain declined to 8.8 euros, down 6.4% from 9.4 euros in the prior year’s period. Management described this period as a natural part of scaling, noting that the long-term industrial plan in Spain remains solid and focused on delivering high-quality services at competitive prices. The executive team emphasized that the value proposition has been well received by customers, reinforcing Digi’s commitment to sustaining quality while expanding footprint in the Spanish market.
In terms of network investments, Digi has earmarked about 173 million euros by mid-2024 in Spain as part of its fiber optic network rollout and the rollout of a mobile network with Digi-owned infrastructure. Spain accounted for 40.2% of the group’s revenue in the first half of the year, with total group revenue standing at 918.1 million euros. In contrast, Romania, Digi’s main market, generated 534.8 million euros in revenue for the period, a 7.58% year-over-year increase and representing 58% of the group’s business during the period. These figures illustrate the evolving balance of Digi’s business, as it strengthens its presence in Spain while continuing to capitalize on growth in its core markets.
For earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA), the company reported an adjusted EBITDA of 82.84 million euros in Spain for the first half, a rise of 47.88% from 56.01 million euros in the same period previous year. The group’s adjusted EBITDA reached 333.27 million euros, up 19.06% from 279.9 million euros in the six months of the prior year. Looking at margins, the adjusted EBITDA margin in Spain stood at 22.44% for the first half of 2024, compared with 18.67% a year earlier. The group’s overall EBITDA margin was 36.29%, edging above the 34.58% achieved as of the end of June 2023. These profitability indicators highlight Digi’s ability to scale operations in Spain while maintaining healthy margin expansion as network investments translate into a growing customer base and higher service uptake. In addition to revenue and EBITDA growth, the period underscores Digi’s ongoing push toward a more autonomous, network-centric business model in Spain and the continued diversification of its geographic mix as it invests in infrastructure and service delivery.
Source attribution: Digi Group press materials and company communications for the first half of 2024, with consolidated figures reflecting performance in Spain and Romania. The information is presented for context and analysis by market observers and industry commentators who track European telecommunications operators and their regional strategies, including investments in fixed and mobile networks and their impact on customer growth and profitability. [Industry briefings and company disclosures]