ISSAQUAH, Wash.-Western Wireless Corp. ended the third quarter with 101,000 personal communications services customers, adding 26,600 subscribers during the quarter.
For the quarter ended Sept. 30, Western Wireless recorded a net loss of $68 million, or 97 cents per share, compared with a loss of $38.6 million, or 56 cents per share, the previous year. Net revenues totaled $105 million for the quarter, up 56 percent from the same quarter in 1996. Western Wireless said loss in the third quarter is due primarily to planned expenses associated with service expansion in start-up PCS markets.
The company’s cellular subscribers numbered 426,000, a 47-percent increase from the same quarter in 1996. Cellular net additions were 36,400 for the quarter, a 39-percent increase from third quarter 1996. PCS subscribers numbered 17,600 the previous year.
“We reached tremendous milestones during the third quarter, including a 7-percent penetration level in our cellular business and surpassing the 100,000 subscriber threshold in our PCS business, demonstrating our ability to grow both businesses at a phenomenal pace,” said John Stanton, chairman and chief executive officer of Western Wireless.
For the nine-month period, revenues were $267.2 million, a 55-percent increase from $171.9 million the same period in 1996. Net loss totaled $193.2 million, or $2.76 per share.
Western Wireless also announced it has completed its acquisition of Menlo Park, Calif.-based Triad Cellular Corp. and affiliated entities, including all of the company’s cellular properties and related assets.
