In the six months to end of June 2016, Vodafone added just 7,000 new mobile subscribers – compared to 119,000 it added in the six months to end of December 2015.
The good news is that the company's losses are narrowing, with 50% partner Hutchison Telecommunications Ltd (ASX: HTA) reporting a half year loss of $65.7 million – compared to $90.1 million last year.
Average revenue per user (ARPU) has dropped, and now Vodafone has similar statistics to competitors Optus and Telstra Corporation Ltd (ASX: TLS). Both companies have yet to release their results – so we won't know until next month whether they face similar issues in growing customers.
Vodafone now has 4,986,000 customers with 3.3 million of those on post-paid plans.
Source: Company reports
That suggests that Telstra and Optus are maintaining their dominant market share of the mobile market.
Foolish takeaway
For Telstra shareholders, it's good news, and the giant telco appears to be maintaining its lead in its most important market. Mobile generates the majority of revenues are we illustrated here.