To see where the telecom industry was heading this year, the Associated Press reported a summary of earnings for selected telecommunications companies, such as AT&T and Verizon Communications. And also plans to bring on Wednesday, the earnings for Sprint Nextel Corp. This report was reprinted in Yahoo! News.
As per this report, on October 20th, AT&T Inc. reported that its wireless service revenue grew just 4.3 percent in the latest quarter as compared to the same quarter a year ago. That growth rate had often topped 10 percent in the recent years, but has now been declining for a year, wrote Yahoo! News. According to AT&T, the delayed launch of iPhone model contributed to the slowdown in growth. It just missed the end of the quarter, wrote the AP.
For Verizon Communications Inc., the October 21st earnings report suggests that earnings doubled in the latest quarter because of pension accounting effects, wrote AP. But, according to the Verizon’s earnings report, the bottom-line result masked a weak quarter in the local-phone division, which was hammered by a strike and a hurricane.
In the wireless space, as per the financial report, Verizon added more high-paying subscribers than rival AT&T. But it, too, was hurt by a late iPhone 4S.
As part of its continuing network investment to support growing demand for advanced mobile devices and applications, AT&T on Tuesday announced the activation of a new mobile broadband cell site east of Everett on the Pennsylvania Turnpike that will enhance coverage for residents and businesses in the area as well as along portions of US-30 and SR-26. The new cell site is part of AT&T’s ongoing efforts to drive investment and innovation to deliver the most advanced mobile broadband service to its customers.
Similarly, besides expanding its 3G network, Verizon Wireless is also rolling out the 4G LTE network nationwide. Full nationwide deployment is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2013, according to Verizon.
Ashok Bindra is a veteran writer and editor with more than 25 years of editorial experience covering RF/wireless technologies, semiconductors and power electronics. To read more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.Edited by
Rich Steeves
