Colt full-year core earnings fall on lower voice revenue

(Reuters) - European telecoms provider Colt Group SA reported a 4 percent fall in full-year core earnings as a decline in revenue from its voice services division continued to hurt business. The company, which runs fibre optic networks and data centres for large and mid-sized companies, said the market was signalling a return to modest growth in Europe. Adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) fell to 320.1 million euros ($437.5 million) for the year ended December 31, from 333.6 million euros a year earlier. Revenue dropped 1.2 percent to 1.58 billion euros. Voice revenue fell 5.1 percent to 551.4 million euros. Revenue from the business had increased marginally in 2012 after falling between 8 and 12 percent annually in the previous four years. Colt shares closed at 134.1 pence on the London Stock Exchange on Wednesday. ($1 = 0.7317 Euros) (Reporting by Abhirup Roy in Bangalore; Editing by Gopakumar Warrier)