Holding & Services Segment

Business development in the Holding & Services Segment

Sales revenues in the Holding & Services Segment in the reporting period were EUR 122.2 million; this is equivalent to a rise of 8.8% compared with the previous year (EUR 112.3 million). The increase in sales revenues was attributable to higher order volumes, particularly at Energie AG Oberösterreich Tech Services GmbH.

EBIT in the Holding and Services Segment rose from EUR -14.0 million in the same period of the previous year to EUR 6.3 million in the first half of the 2023/2024 fiscal year. Entities allocated to the Holding & Services Segment and accounted for using the equity method generated significantly higher earnings contributions in the reporting period than in the first half of 2022/2023. The EBIT contributions of service entities allocated to the Holding & Services Segment and of the Telekom business area showed a light negative development all told due to higher expenses. In contrast to this, the sale of property in the amount of some EUR 5.0 million had a positive effect on the EBIT of the Holding & Services Segment in the reporting period.

Organisational reorientation in the Telekom business area

The first half of the 2023/2024 fiscal year was dominated by preparations for the organisational merger agreed as part of the Group-wide “LOOP” strategy project and completed at the end of March 2024 between Telekom GmbH and its affiliated companies Business Services GmbH and Customer Services GmbH. A further organisational change had already taken place one month earlier. At the end of February 2024, Telekom GmbH employed 17 staff in the provision of services for the installation and support of control systems, remote control systems and the provision of radio services. With a view to consolidating services primarily provided for Netz Oberösterreich GmbH and to reduce organisational interfaces, this part of the organisation was transferred to Netz Oberösterreich GmbH as of 1 March 2024.

At 77,833 terabytes (TB), the volume of internet data transported in the Telekom business area grew significantly in the first half of the 2023/2024 fiscal year compared to the same period of the previous year (53,310 TB). As in previous years, data transmission reliability was also maintained at the highest level in the reporting period with a security of supply (= data connection availability) of 99.99% (previous year: 99.99%).

Internet data volume transferred

in TB

In the Wholesale unit, a long-term framework agreement was successfully concluded with a major provider. Several connections have already been ordered on the basis of this agreement, enabling major growth potential. In the internal Group services unit, work is currently underway on maintaining the high quality standards in terms of security and reliability and on improving these further by adapting the organisational structure.

The conditions for the distribution of subsidies for grid expansion of Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) lines changed during the reporting period. As stipulated by the funding system, the Broadband Austria 2030 funding was discontinued for future funding calls from the federal government and the Province of Upper Austria in part following a competitor submitting its plans for self-funded FTTH network expansion. FTTH joint venture BBOÖ Breitband Oberösterreich GmbH (BBOÖ GmbH) responded to these changed framework conditions with strategic reorientation, which is also having an impact on the Telekom business area.