Oslo - Norwegian telecommunications group Telenor Wednesday reported increased earnings for first quarter 2008 and more mobile phone subscribers in several Asian markets.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) totalled 9.2 billion kroner (1.79 billion dollars), compared to 8.79 billion kroner for the corresponding business period 2007.

First-quarter sales were 26.29 billion kroner, up from 25.2 billion kroner for the corresponding business period 2007, the group said.

The sums included earnings from its company Kyivstar in Ukraine, where Telenor has been engaged in a protracted process to get audited financial information about the operator.

Kyivstart contributed "high growth in both revenues and profits," Telenor Chief Executive Jon Fredrik Baksaas said in a statement.

Overall, Telenor had 147 million mobile telephone subscriptions, boosted by "continued high net additions in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Thailand," Baksaas said.

Baksaas said the group had coped well in Asia despite a "more turbulent business environment," citing that purchasing power was impacted by price hikes for goods like rice and fuel.

In its Norwegian home, Telenor had half of the mobile market, and 62 per cent of the fixed line market measured in traffic minutes.

In its outlook, Telenor said it expected 5-per-cent revenue growth for 2008, including earnings from Kyivstar.

In addition to Norway and neighbouring Sweden and Denmark, Telenor has operations in Hungary, Serbia, Ukraine, Montenegro, Pakistan, Thailand, Malaysia and Bangladesh. (dpa)