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Phone group O2 'is number one in UK'
14.11.08
Mobile phone group O2 today claimed top position in the UK with more than 20 million customers.
Chief executive Matthew Key said the Spanish-owned group had its best-ever quarter between July and September in terms of adding new contract customers.
"We outperformed all our competitors... and even though there has definitely been a decline in the numbers of people out on the High Street, in October we have seen just as many customers in our stores," he said.
He identified three areas of strong growth: Simplicity, the SIM-only 30-day contract, mobile broadband and the iPhone which O2 has exclusive UK rights to.
He said there are signs of customers being less keen on 18-month contracts and rather than upgrade handsets they opt for cash back when they re-sign contracts.
But O2 and parent Telefonica both expect to hit this year's revenue and earnings targets.
