KIRKLAND, Wash.-Nextel Partners Inc. said it added a company-record 107,200 customers during the third quarter, which was well above analysts’ estimates and a 14.7-percent jump over the 93,500 customers the carrier added during the third quarter of last year. Nextel Partners ended the third quarter with more than 1.9 million customers.
In support of its strong customer growth, Nextel Partners added that customer churn remained steady at 1.3 percent, which was in line with its second-quarter results and below the 1.4-percent churn the carrier reported last year. Average revenue per user also improved sequentially from $68 during the second quarter to $69 during the third quarter of this year, but was flat year-over-year.
Nextel Partners also reported that service revenues increased 8.5 percent year-over-year from $410 during the third quarter of 2004 to $445 million this year. The carrier is set to release full third-quarter results Oct. 27.
Nextel Partners has sent proxy material to its shareholders regarding a vote on a “put” option that will require Sprint Nextel Corp. to acquire the 68 percent of the affiliate it does not already control. Nextel Partners has scheduled a special meeting for the vote Oct. 24. Nextel Partners’ management recommended that shareholders vote in favor of the put option, which then would trigger an appraisal process, set to be completed by early February.
