Dobson Communications Corp. said it lost 25,600 customers subscribers during the fourth of last year compared with a gain of 14,400 net subscribers during the fourth quarter of 2003. The customer losses during the fourth quarter of last year included 33,100 postpaid subscribers, but the carrier gained 7,500 prepaid customers.
The carrier attributed the decline to a drop in gross subscriber additions from 117,100 customers during the fourth quarter of 2003 to 112,300 subscribers last year and an increase in postpaid customer churn from 1.9 percent during the fourth quarter of 2003 to 2.4 percent last year. Dobson did note that the fourth-quarter reduction last year did not include approximately 26,200 subscribers the carrier gained through the acquisition of RFB Cellular Inc. last month.
Fourth-quarter average revenue per user increased from $40.01 in 2004 to $42 last year, while total roaming minutes increased from 356 million minutes during the fourth quarter of 2003 to 390 million minutes last year.
Dobson also reported that earnings before interests, taxes, depreciation and amortization for the second half of 2004 are expected to be slightly above the top end of its guidance range of $176 million. The carrier plans to report full operating and financial results for the fourth quarter of 2004 next month.
