Tele Leste Celular Participacoes S.A. - 'Tele Leste' (BOVESPA: TLCP3 (Common Shares); TLCP4 (Preferred Shares); NYSE: TBE), Announces Today Its Consolidated Results For the Third Quarter of 2004 (3Q04) RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil, Oct. 29 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- HIGHLIGHTS R$ million 3 Q 04 2 Q 04 variation % 3 Q 03 variation % Net Operating Revenue 121.1 120.5 0.5% 104.9 15.4% Net service revenues 108.0 102.3 5.6% 94.8 13.9% Net handset revenues 13.1 18.2 -28.0% 10.1 29.7% Total Operating Costs (92.7) (98.4) -5.8% (73.2) 26.6% EBITDA 28.4 22.1 28.5% 31.7 -10.4% EBITDA Margin (%) 23.5% 18.3% 5.2 p.p. 30.2% -6.7 p.p. Depreciation and Amortization (26.2) (27.7) -5.4% (30.4) -13.8% EBIT 2.2 (5.6) n.a. 1.3 69.2% Net Loss (5.7) (12.6) -54.8% (15.7) -63.7% Total number of customers (thousand) 1,264 1,240 1.9% 1,025 23.3% -- In relation to 3Q03 and 2Q04, Tele Leste's customers base increased by 23.3% and 1.9%, respectively, reaching 1,264 thousand customers. -- SAC decreased by 12.0% in relation to 2Q04, due to reductions in the total amount of subsidies during the period. -- Churn decreased by 0.2% in comparison to 3Q03 and 2Q04, due to initiatives designed to enhance the Company's customer fidelity programs. -- Prepaid ARPU increased by 2.5%, in comparison to 2Q04, despite competitive pressures from four operators. -- Net service revenues increased by 5.6%, compared to the 2Q04, 3.7 percentage points higher than the growth in the customers base. -- EBITDA recorded a 28.5% increase in 3Q04 in relation to 2Q04, representing a 23.5% margin in the quarter. -- Productivity increased by 27.6% and 2.5% in 3Q04 in relation to 3Q03 and 2Q04, respectively. -- Data revenues once again recorded growth, reaching 2.5% of net revenue from services in 3Q04 (1.5% in 3Q03). Tele Leste Celular, along with Telesp Celular Participacoes S.A. (controller of Tele Centro Oeste Participacoes S.A.), Celular CRT Participacoes S.A., and Tele Sudeste Celular Participacoes S.A., make up the assets of the Joint Venture undertaken by Telefonica Moviles and Portugal Telecom, operating under the VIVO brand, Top of Mind in the Brazilian market. On October, 2004 the VIVO Group reached 25 million customers, consolidating its market leadership. DATASOURCE: Tele Leste Celular Participacoes S.A. CONTACT: Charles E. Allen for VIVO, +55-11-5105-1172, or Web site: http//http://www.vivo.com.br/

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