KIRKLAND, Wash.—Nextel Partners Inc. said it added 75,300 net subscribers during the third quarter, increasing its subscriber base 21 percent to 434,200 total subscribers. Customer churn for the quarter remained at 1.6 percent, one of the lowest in the industry, with average revenue per user of approximately $72.
“Our better than expected subscriber growth and ARPU in the third quarter underscore the attractiveness of our differentiated service and the robust nature of our targeted customer segments in the mid-sized markets,” said John Chapple, president and chief executive officer for Nextel Partners. “Based on these results, the implied lifetime revenue for our subscribers is approximately $4,500, which we believe makes them among the most valuable in the wireless industry.”
Chapple also confirmed the company was following Nextel Communications Inc.’s lead in upgrading its current iDEN-based network. The upgrades, provided by Motorola Inc., are expected to double voice capacity and increase data speeds.
