Stockholm  - Nordic telecommunications group Telia Sonera on Tuesday posted higher pre-tax income for third-quarter 2008, citing strong sales for its mobile and broadband operations.

The group said earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) was 8.94 billion kronor (1.03 billion dollars), up 3 per cent on the corresponding business period 2007.

Sales in the quarter increased 4 per cent to 25.81 billion kronor.

Commenting on the impact of the global financial turmoil, chief executive Lars Nyberg said that the group "has a strong balance sheet and operates in a relatively non-cyclical industry."

"Therefore, we see no immediate effects of changing customer behaviour in our operations."

Telia Sonera and its associated companies had some 127.9 million customers in the quarter, up 17 per cent year-on-year.

The group's 4-billion-kronor cost-cutting programme was under way. So far during 2008, it had resulted in savings of 1.2 billion kronor. According to earlier announcements it will result in the lay-off of some 2,900 employees, two-thirds in Sweden and one-third in Finland.

Net sales in its six markets in Eurasia including Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Georgia rose 17 per cent, the group said.

Northern Europe's largest telecommunications concern was formed through the December 2002 merger of Sweden's Telia and Finland's Sonera.

It also has operations in Norway, Denmark, the Baltic states, Russia and Turkey. dpa lsm wjh