Report

New Street: Asian Telcos: Takeaways from early Q1 results re Covid-19 risk

In this note we update our thoughts on Covid-19 and draw early lessons post the start of Q1 results. The economic impact is the overriding issue, as it drives broad-based consumer and business spending cuts, and is quite varied across the region.
Underlyings
Advanced Info Service Public Co. Ltd.

Advanced Info Service Public Co., via its subsidiaries, is engaged in the operation of a 900 MHz cellular telephone system, the acting as a service provider of online data communications service via telephone land lineand optical fiber and service provider of call center and service provider of digital mobile phone network; distributor of cash card business; service provider of electronic payment and cash card; service provider of international telephone service/gateway; andservice provider of cellular telephone network in 2.1-GHz and 1800MHz frequency. As of Dec 31 2015, Co. had three segments: mobile phone and call center services; mobile phone sales; and datanet and broadband services.

CHINA TELECOM CORP LTD-H

China Tower Corp Ltd

Chunghwa Telecom Co. Ltd

Chunghwa Telecom is a telecommunications service provider. Co.'s principal services include domestic fixed communications services, including local and domestic long distance telephone services, broadband access services, Wi-Fi services, and other domestic services; mobile communications services, including mobile services, sales of mobile handsets, tablets, and other mobile services; internet services, including HiNet, internet value-added services, and other internet services; international fixed communications services, including international long distance telephone services, satellite services and other international services; and other services, including non-telecom services.

Digi Communications NV

Far Eastone Telecommunications Co. Ltd.

Far Eastone Telecommunications provides wireless communications, leased-circuit services, Internet and international simple resale (ISR) services and also sells cellular phone units and accessories. Co. is engaged in the installation, maintenance, wholesale and import/export business for electronic and radio communications equipments and its components; the purchase, sale, installation, and maintenance of radio transceivers and receivers (limited to pagers); handling price quotations and tender applications on behalf of local or foreign companies with regard to the retail business; manufacturing business of wireless communications equipment; and other services business.

Indosat

PT Indosat is an Indonesian telecommunications network and service provider. Co.'s principal products and services include Cellular services in which Co. provides Global System for Mobile Communications 900 and 1800 cellular services; Fixed telecommunications services in which Co. provides international long-distance services in Indonesia; and MIDI services in which Co. provides broadband and narrowband fixed data services, including frame relay services, Very Small Aperture Terminal services, leased circuits and Internet services, through Lintasarta, PT Indosat Mega Media to corporate and retail customers and wholesalers.

KDDI Corporation

KDDI is a telecommunications company. Along with its affiliates, Co. operates in four principal business segments: personal, value, business, and global. Co. is engaged in the sale of mobile handset; and the provision of mobile telecommunication services under "au" brand name, Internet contents, settlement service, and electronic money service for individual customers. Co. offers information and communication technology ("ICT") solution services and data center services for domestic corporate customers, overseas companies and individual customers. Co. is also involved in the call center business, the research and technological development, and the telecommunication facilities maintenance.

Maxis Bhd.

Maxis is engaged as a communications service provider. Co. operates in three segments: mobile services, which comprises postpaid mobile, prepaid mobile, mobile data, broadband and roaming services; fixed line services, which comprises a range of voice services, data services, Very Small Aperture Terminal services and Internet Protocol and managed services to consumer and business customers; and international gateway services, which comprises services to international telecommunications carriers for termination of traffic into Malaysia, services to send Co.'s own international traffic abroad and bandwidth leasing services. As of Dec 31 2010, Co. had 13,954,000 mobile subscriptions.

NTT DoCoMo Inc.

NTT DOCOMO is a mobile telecommunications carrier. Co. has three operating segments. The telecommunications segment includes mobile phone services (LTE(Xi) services and FOMA services), optical-fiber broadband service, satellite mobile communications services, international services and the equipment sales related to these services. The smart life segment includes video and music distribution, electronic books and other services offered through DOCOMO's "dmarket" portal, as well as finance/payment services, shopping services and various other services. The others segment primarily includes "Mobile Device Protection Service," as well as development, sales and maintenance of IT systems.

PT XL Axiata Tbk

PT XL Axiata Tbk is a cellular provider in Indonesia. Co. maintains its extensive network infrastructure and services around the country. Co. provides services for retail customers and offers business solutions to corporate customers. Co.'s cellular network runs on 'GSM 900/DCS 1800' and 'IMT-2000/3G' technologies. Co. also holds several licenses, including closed regular network (leased line), Internet service provider (ISP), Voice over Internet protocol (VoIP), and Internet interconnection services (NAP). Co. has obtained an e-Money (electronic money) license from Bank Indonesia, the country's central bank, which enables Co. to provide remittance services to subscribers.

Rakuten Inc.

Rakuten is mainly engaged in the Internet-related business. Along with its affiliates, Co. operates in two business segments. The Internet Services segment is engaged in the operation of electronic commerce sites, including an Internet shopping mall "Rakuten Ichiba," an online cash back site, a travel booking site, portal sites and digital contents sites; the sale of advertising on Co.'s sites; the provision of messaging and communication services; and the management of a professional baseball team "Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles." FinTech segment is engaged in the provision of Internet banking services and online securities trading services, and the credit card and life insurance businesses.

Singapore Telecommunications Limited

Singapore Telecommunications is engaged in the operation and provision of telecommunications systems and services, and investment holding. Co. provides a range of multimedia and Information and communications technology solutions, including voice, data and video services over fixed and wireless platforms. Within both Singapore and Australia, Co. provides mobile communications, data and Internet, national telephone, information technology and engineering, sale of equipment, international telephone and pay television. Co.'s key businesses include: Group Consumer, Group Digital L!fe, and Group Information and communications technology.

StarHub Ltd

StarHub is a fully-integrated info-communication company based in Singapore. Co. offers a full range of information, communications and entertainment services for both consumer and corporate markets. Co. operates a two-way 3.5G mobile network that delivers up to 14.4 Mbps for downlink (with HSPA+ coming soon) to complement its nation-wide GSM network, and an island-wide HFC network that delivers multi-channel cable TV services (including High Definition Television and on-demand services) as well as ultra-high speed residential broadband services. Co. also operates an extensive fixed business network that provides a wide range of data, voice and wholesale services.

Taiwan Mobile Co. Ltd.

Taiwan Mobile Co., Ltd. is a Taiwan-based telecommunication service provider. The Company mainly provides mobile phone communications services, fixed-line communications services and network and cable television services. The Company provides personal mobile communication services, including voice telephone communication services, specialty code services, data value-added services, voice value-added services, message value-added services, message services and others; household communications services, including cable television, digital cable television, broadband Internet access business and channel operation, as well as corporate communications services, including voice, data, Internet, mobile communications, system integration services and others. In addition, The Company is involved in the provision of Internet shopping, television shopping and catalog shopping services. The Company mainly conducts its businesses within Taiwan.

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Analysts
Chris Hoare

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