ALEXANDRIA, Va.-Paging and messaging carrier Metrocall Holdings Inc. reported increasing revenues and net income along with a declining subscriber base. The carrier also said it is working with Arch Wireless Inc. to file a joint proxy/registration statement to obtain shareholder approvals for the previously announced merger between the two rivals.
“Metrocall remains focused on servicing and retaining our core direct subscriber base,” said Vincent Kelly, the carrier’s president and chief executive officer. “However, the paging and wireless messaging sector continues to face significant competitive pressures from existing paging suppliers and competing mobile communications technologies.”
Metrocall reported first-quarter revenues of $90.7 million and net income of $7.5 million compared with the $87.1 million in revenues and $2 million in net income it reported in the prior quarter. The carrier said its revenues reflected its acquisition of rival WebLink and its investment in paging infrastructure provider GTES L.L.C.
Metrocall said it lost a total of 239,522 subscribers in the quarter, lowering its total subscriber base to about 3.2 million. The carrier said it lost 221,811 one-way paging subscribers and 17,711 two-way subscribers. The losses follow years of similar declines in the paging industry.
