This performance, amid a crisis, was mainly due to the growth of Data Mobile and Mobile Money services from International activities and the surge of the Fixed-line Data in Morocco, the source added, while reporting a 9% growth in the Group's overall customer base, which reached 68.4 million customers.

The group has maintained stable consolidated revenues thanks to international activities and Mobile and Fixed line Data in Morocco.

The Group's customer bases continue to grow (up 9.1% year-on-year), reaching 68.4 million at the end of June 2020.

This increase was due partly to the consolidation of Tigo Chad into the Group's scope since July 1, 2019.

As of June 30, 2020, the Mobile customer base was 19.6 million customers, up slightly by 0.1% year-on-year thanks to the increase in the postpaid customer base (up 7.1%).

Mobile revenues were down 2.6%, to 6,779 million dirhams, due to the impact of the health crisis on international incoming, outgoing prepaid and roaming activities in particular.

At the end of June 2020, the Fixed-line customer base grew by 6.9% year-on-year, bringing the number of lines to nearly 2 million. The Broadband customer base increased by 10.5% to 1.7 million subscribers.

The Fixed-line and Internet activities in Morocco recorded revenues of 4,727 million dirhams, up 1.5% compared to the same period in 2019, thanks to the Fixed-line Data surge.

In an economic context  marked by the consequences of the Covid-19 crisis, the Group's international operations have shown so far resilience and posted revenues up 6.3% (+0.1% on a like-for-like basis compared to 2019, the Group said.

Growth in Data Mobile and Mobile Money services more than offset the decline in Voice revenues.

In the first six months of 2020, EBITDA was 3,623 million dirhams, up 10.7%. The EBITDA margin was 43.6%, up 1.7 pt (up 3.4 pt on a like-for-like basis ), thanks to the improvement in the gross margin and the decrease in operating costs.

During the same period, adjusted EBITA improved by 6.3% (up 8.8% on a like-for-like basis (1)) to 1,798 million dirhams, representing a stable adjusted EBITA margin of 21.6% (up 1.7 pt on a like-for-like basis).

Adjusted cash flow from operations (CFFO) improved by 48.9% (+42.6% on a like-for-like basis) to 2,843 million dirhams, primarily due to higher EBITDA and Capex decrease.

Capital expenditures excluding frequencies and licenses were down 37.6% year-on-year (down 43.6% on a like-for-like basis), due to the adjustment of investments to the current environment.

"In an unprecedented context of global health crisis, the Maroc Telecom Group is mobilized to comply with the authorities' guidelines and meet the expectations of its customers," said Abdeslam Ahizoune, Chairman of the Group's Management Board, quoted in the release.

"The Group's network capacities and infrastructures, which were very busy during the lockdown period, fully responded to the increase in demand and the expansion of new usages, without any impact on the quality of service. The relevance of the Group's strategy, focused on investment for the strengthening of networks, infrastructures and digitalization, is thus reinforced."

"Maroc Telecom, a socially responsible company, has also contributed to the collective effort through numerous initiatives in Morocco and in the countries of its subsidiaries, notably through contributions to COVID funds set up by the authorities," he added.

This health context prompted the Group to adopt a broad cost optimization plan, which made it possible to maintain good performance over the half-year despite the first effects of the pandemic, Ahizoune pointed out.