MetroPCS added 317,000 net subscribers in Q4 vs. 519,519 net addi...
MetroPCS added 317,000 net subscribers in Q4 vs. 519,519 net additions in Q4 2008, bringing its total customer base to 6.6 million, the company said. The carrier’s customer churn rose to 5.3 percent from 5.1 percent a year earlier.…
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MetroPCS’s existing markets held up strongly due to promotions but its expansion markets in the Northeast like New York and Boston, saw a decline from the third quarter, analysts said. The company’s “core” markets accounted for 205,000 net new customers while its newer markets contributed 112,000. CEO Roger Linquist called the weaker subscriber growth in the new markets an “aberration,” saying there was some pick-up later in Q4. The opportunity to grow in the prepaid space is quite substantial, Linquist said during an investor conference Tuesday. The carrier will get a more attractive handset lineup in Q1, including a Research in Motion BlackBerry smartphone, he said. In addition to the preliminary subscriber results, the company expects to spend $35 million in Q1 to promote new plans. The carrier launched its “Wireless for All” plans Tuesday. The plans range from $40 to $60 per month and offer unlimited nationwide talk, text and Web services with all taxes and fees included. Meanwhile, MetroPCS is no longer offering a free month of service with the purchase of a new handset. Bernstein Research analyst Craig Moffett maintained his “Outperform” rating on MetroPCS shares, saying calling plan prices are bound to come down even further, but MetroPCS and Leap will still have attractive economics.