OKLAHOMA CITY-Dobson Communications Corp. said it added 10,300 net subscribers during the first quarter of 2003, which was below the 12,500 net customers the carrier said it added for the same quarter last year. Postpaid customer churn for the quarter also dropped from 2.2 percent during the first quarter of 2002 to 1.6 percent this year.
Dobson attributed the drop in customer growth to a decline in gross subscriber additions from 53,400 customers last year to 38,700 subscribers during the first quarter of this year.
Dobson added that approximately two-thirds of its gross customer additions signed up for the carrier’s local and preferred calling plans.
Dobson’s American Cellular Corp. joint venture with AT&T Wireless Services Inc. added approximately 1,700 net customers during the first quarter of this year, which was well below the 10,100 net customer additions the venture reported for the first quarter of 2002.
