Losses almost double for 3, a mobile phone company
{{date|April 3, 2005}}

3, the [[w:3G|3G]] mobile phone firm owned by [[w:Hong Kong|Hong Kong]] based [[w:Hutchison Whampoa|Hutchison Whampoa]] has reported pre-tax, pre-exceptional losses of HK$37.5bn (US$4.8bn/€3.7bn) for 2004. This compares with losses of HK$19.6bn (US$2.5/€1.94bn) in 2003 when the company was only in operation for seven months.

Despite the losses, Hutchison Whampoa chairman Li Ka-Shing said "3 achieved substantial business momentum in 2004". The firm now has over eight million customers worldwide, with three million of these in the [[United Kingdom|UK]].

3 was the first 3G provider in the UK, ahead of incumbent [[w:Vodafone|Vodafone]] by launching in 2003. Vodafone currently has about 200,000 customers for its 3G service in Britain.

==Sources==

*{{source|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/4400657.stm| title= Losses mount at 3 mobile company | author= |pub=BBC News|date=April 3, 2005}}
*{{source|url=http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,3604,1449655,00.html| title=3 million sign up for 3G from 3| author=Richard Wray |pub=The Guardian|date=April 3, 2005}}

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[[Category:Economy and business]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Hong Kong]]
[[Category:Published]]
[[Category:Vodafone]]
3, the 3G mobile phone firm owned by Hong Kong based Hutchison Whampoa has reported pre-tax, pre-exceptional losses of HK$37.5bn (US$4.8bn/€3.7bn) for 2004. This compares with losses of HK$19.6bn (US$2.5/€1.94bn) in 2003 when the company was only in operation for seven months.

Despite the losses, Hutchison Whampoa chairman Li Ka-Shing said "3 achieved substantial business momentum in 2004". The firm now has over eight million customers worldwide, with three million of these in the UK.

3 was the first 3G provider in the UK, ahead of incumbent Vodafone by launching in 2003. Vodafone currently has about 200,000 customers for its 3G service in Britain.
Economy and business United Kingdom Hong Kong Published Vodafone