UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D. C. 20549
FORM 10-Q

(Mark One)
QUARTERLY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 For the quarterly period ended September 30, 2016March 31, 2017
 
TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 For the transition period from__________ to __________

Commission File No.: 000-09881
shenimagea01.jpg
SHENANDOAH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

VIRGINIA 54-1162807
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization) (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

500 Shentel Way, Edinburg, Virginia    22824
(Address of principal executive offices)  (Zip Code)

(540) 984-4141
(Registrant's telephone number, including area code)
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.  Yes ☑   No ☐
 
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).   Yes  ☑   No ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, or a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” and “smaller reporting company”company,” and "emerging growth company" in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ☑Accelerated filer ☐Non-accelerated filer ☐
Smaller reporting company ☐company☐Emerging growth company☐

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).
Yes ☐    No  ☑

 
The number of shares of the registrant’s common stock outstanding on October 27, 2016April 26, 2017 was 48,915,405.49,109,626. 
 
 




SHENANDOAH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY
INDEX

 
Page
Numbers
 
Page
Numbers
PART I.FINANCIAL INFORMATION  FINANCIAL INFORMATION  
      
Item 1.Financial Statements  Financial Statements  
      
--
      
      
      
--
      
--
      
Item 2.--
      
Item 3.
      
Item 4.
    
PART II.OTHER INFORMATION OTHER INFORMATION 
    
Item 1A.
    
Item 2.
    
Item 6.
    
    



Index



SHENANDOAH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands)

ASSETS September 30,
2016
 December 31,
2015
 March 31,
2017
 December 31,
2016
        
Current Assets        
Cash and cash equivalents $27,531
 $76,812
 $39,927
 $36,193
Restricted cash 2,167
 
Accounts receivable, net 79,944
 29,778
 68,709
 69,789
Income taxes receivable 
 7,694
Inventory, net 14,128
 4,183
 24,855
 39,043
Prepaid expenses and other 17,759
 8,573
 16,989
 16,440
Deferred income taxes 
 907
Total current assets 141,529
 127,947
 150,480
 161,465
        
Investments, including $2,889 and $2,654 carried at fair value 10,113
 10,679
Investments, including $3,058 and $2,907 carried at fair value 10,607
 10,276
        
Building held for sale 4,950
 
Property, plant and equipment, net 667,741
 410,018
 689,948
 698,122
        
Other Assets  
  
  
  
Intangible assets, net 458,401
 66,993
 443,308
 454,532
Goodwill 145,413
 10
 144,001
 145,256
Deferred charges and other assets, net 5,478
 11,504
 14,645
 14,756
Other assets, net 609,292
 78,507
Total assets $1,433,625
 $627,151
 $1,452,989
 $1,484,407



(Continued)


Index

SHENANDOAH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands)

LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY September 30,
2016
 December 31,
2015
 March 31,
2017
 December 31,
2016
        
Current Liabilities        
Current maturities of long-term debt, net of unamortized loan fees $25,972
 $22,492
 $38,124
 $32,041
Accounts payable 34,974
 13,009
 25,390
 72,810
Advanced billings and customer deposits 21,979
 11,674
 21,029
 20,427
Accrued compensation 6,817
 5,915
 3,678
 9,465
Income taxes payable 14,189
 
 3,958
 435
Accrued liabilities and other 31,533
 7,639
 18,174
 29,085
Total current liabilities 135,464
 60,729
 110,353
 164,263
        
Long-term debt, less current maturities, net of unamortized loan fees 783,595
 177,169
 810,873
 797,224
        
Other Long-Term Liabilities  
  
  
  
Deferred income taxes 146,966
 74,868
 149,763
 151,837
Deferred lease payable 10,869
 8,142
 19,230
 18,042
Asset retirement obligations 15,828
 7,266
 19,386
 15,666
Retirement plan obligations 17,892
 17,738
Other liabilities 42,597
 9,039
 26,057
 23,743
Total other long-term liabilities 216,260
 99,315
 232,328
 227,026
        
Commitments and Contingencies 

 

 

 

        
Shareholders’ Equity  
  
  
  
Common stock 44,427
 32,776
 46,083
 45,482
Retained earnings 256,037
 256,747
 245,965
 243,624
Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net of taxes (2,158) 415
Accumulated other comprehensive income, net of taxes 7,387
 6,788
Total shareholders’ equity 298,306
 289,938
 299,435
 295,894
        
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity $1,433,625
 $627,151
 $1,452,989
 $1,484,407

See accompanying notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

Index

SHENANDOAH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONSINCOME AND COMPREHENSIVE INCOME(LOSS)INCOME
(in thousands, except per share amounts)
 
 Three Months Ended
September 30,
 Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 Three Months Ended
March 31,
 2016 2015 2016 2015 2017 2016
            
Operating revenues $156,836
 $85,212
 $379,716
 $255,202
 $153,880
 $92,571
            
Operating expenses:  
  
  
  
  
  
Cost of goods and services, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 58,317
 30,570
 140,354
 91,541
 53,761
 31,762
Selling, general and administrative, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 40,369
 18,306
 96,263
 55,024
 40,153
 21,426
Integration and acquisition expenses 15,272
 2,129
 35,801
 3,153
 4,489
 332
Depreciation and amortization 46,807
 19,118
 96,961
 53,119
 44,804
 17,739
Total operating expenses 160,765
 70,123
 369,379
 202,837
 143,207
 71,259
Operating income (loss) (3,929) 15,089
 10,337
 52,365
Operating income 10,673
 21,312
            
Other income (expense):  
  
  
  
  
  
Interest expense (8,845) (1,808) (16,369) (5,663) (9,100) (1,619)
Gain (loss) on investments, net 127
 (211) 237
 (12)
Gain on investments, net 120
 88
Non-operating income, net 1,400
 391
 2,910
 1,265
 1,255
 468
Income (loss) before income taxes (11,247) 13,461
 (2,885) 47,955
Income before income taxes 2,948
 20,249
            
Income tax expense (benefit) (3,651) 5,465
 (2,174) 19,199
Net income (loss) (7,596) 7,996
 (711) 28,756
Income tax expense 607
 6,368
Net income 2,341
 13,881
            
Other comprehensive income (loss):  
  
  
  
  
  
Unrealized gain (loss) on interest rate hedge, net of tax 1,712
 (979) (2,573) (1,560) 599
 (1,048)
Comprehensive income (loss) $(5,884) $7,017
 $(3,284) $27,196
Comprehensive income $2,940
 $12,833
            
Earnings (loss) per share:  
  
  
  
Earnings per share:  
  
Basic $(0.16) $0.17
 $(0.01) $0.59
 $0.05
 $0.29
Diluted $(0.16) $0.16
 $(0.01) $0.59
 $0.05
 $0.28
Weighted average shares outstanding, basic 48,909
 48,406
 48,768
 48,364
 49,050
 48,563
Weighted average shares outstanding, diluted 48,909
 49,071
 48,768
 48,967
 49,834
 49,249
 
See accompanying notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

Index

SHENANDOAH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
(in thousands, except per share amounts)

 
 
Shares
 
Common
Stock
 
Retained
Earnings
 
Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income (Loss),
net of tax
 Total
Balance, December 31, 2014 48,265
 $29,712
 $227,512
 $1,122
 $258,346
          
Net income 
 
 40,864
 
 40,864
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax 
 
 
 (707) (707)
Dividends declared ($0.24 per share) 
 
 (11,629) 
 (11,629)
Dividends reinvested in common stock 22
 544
 
 
 544
Stock based compensation 
 2,719
 
 
 2,719
Common stock issued through exercise of incentive stock options 87
 996
 
 
 996
Common stock issued for share awards 212
 
 
 
 
Common stock issued 1
 11
 
 
 11
Common stock repurchased (111) (1,885) 
 
 (1,885)
Net excess tax benefit from stock options exercised 
 679
 
 
 679
           
 
Shares
 
Common
Stock
 
Retained
Earnings
 
Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income,
net of tax
 Total
Balance, December 31, 2015 48,475
 $32,776
 $256,747
 $415
 $289,938
 48,475
 $32,776
 $256,747
 $415
 $289,938
         $
          
Net loss 
 
 (711) 
 (711) 
 
 (895) 
 (895)
Other comprehensive loss, net of tax 
 
 
 (2,573) (2,573)
Other comprehensive gain, net of tax 
 
 
 6,373
 6,373
Dividends declared ($0.25 per share) 
 
 (12,228) 
 (12,228)
Dividends reinvested in common stock 19
 524
 
 
 524
Stock based compensation 
 2,980
 
 
 2,980
 
 3,506
 
 
 3,506
Stock options exercised 371
 3,362
 
 
 3,362
 371
 3,359
 
 
 3,359
Common stock issued for share awards 190
 
 
 
 
 190
 
 
 
 
Common stock issued 1
 6
 
 
 6
 2
 14
 
 
 14
Common stock issued to acquire non-controlling interests of nTelos 76
 10,400
 
 
 10,400
 76
 10,400
 
 
 10,400
Common stock repurchased (198) (5,097) 
 
 (5,097) (198) (5,097) 
 
 (5,097)
Balance, September 30, 2016 48,915
 $44,427
 $256,037
 $(2,158) $298,306
          
Balance, December 31, 2016 48,935
 $45,482
 $243,624
 $6,788
 $295,894
Net income 
 
 2,341
 
 2,341
Other comprehensive gain, net of tax 
 
 
 599
 599
Stock based compensation 
 1,822
 
 
 1,822
Common stock issued for share awards 129
 
 
 
 
Common stock issued 1
 5
 
 
 5
Common stock issued to acquire non-controlling interests of nTelos 76
 
 
 
 
Common stock repurchased (43) (1,226) 
 
 (1,226)
Balance, March 31, 2017 49,098
 $46,083
 $245,965
 $7,387
 $299,435

See accompanying notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

Index

SHENANDOAH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(in thousands)
 
 Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 Three Months Ended
March 31,
 2016 2015 2017 2016
Cash Flows From Operating Activities        
Net income (loss) $(711) $28,756
Adjustments to reconcile net income (loss) to net cash provided by operating activities:  
  
Net income $2,341
 $13,881
Adjustments to reconcile net income to net cash provided by operating activities:  
  
Depreciation 84,256
 51,985
 37,878
 17,454
Amortization reflected as operating expense 12,705
 1,134
 6,926
 285
Amortization reflected as contra revenue 8,883
 
 4,978
 
Amortization reflected as rent expense 258
 
Provision for bad debt 1,278
 1,335
 420
 345
Straight line adjustment to management fee revenue 7,687
 
 4,206
 
Stock based compensation expense 2,570
 1,893
 1,566
 1,048
Excess tax benefits on stock awards 
 (655)
Deferred income taxes (57,196) (7,463) (2,910) (1,489)
Net (gain) loss on disposal of equipment (144) 229
Unrealized (gain) loss on investments (180) 190
Realized loss on disposal of investments 
 20
Net gain on disposal of equipment (28) (15)
Unrealized gain on investments (120) (16)
Net gains from patronage and equity investments (497) (540) (200) (210)
Amortization of long term debt issuance costs 2,608
 430
 1,202
 132
Other 1,634
 323
 
 3,039
Changes in assets and liabilities:  
  
  
  
(Increase) decrease in:  
  
  
  
Accounts receivable 7,903
 (2,989) 1,629
 2,470
Inventory, net (6,134) 286
 14,188
 (267)
Income taxes receivable 8,294
 14,752
Other assets 2,619
 (3,990) (190) 988
Increase (decrease) in:  
  
  
  
Accounts payable 3,551
 (4,174) (39,399) 1,895
Income taxes payable 16,225
 1,675
 3,523
 6,981
Deferred lease payable 2,728
 733
 1,331
 208
Other deferrals and accruals 7,767
 (807) (13,101) (3,559)
Net cash provided by operating activities 105,846
 83,123
 24,498
 43,170
        
Cash Flows From Investing Activities  
  
  
  
Acquisition of property, plant and equipment (102,850) (39,644) (38,587) (20,537)
Proceeds from sale of equipment 287
 242
 117
 145
Cash distributions from investments 2,796
 38
 3
 45
Cash disbursed for acquisition, net of cash acquired (665,990) 
Additional contributions to investments (14) 
Cash disbursed for acquisition 
 (2,480)
Net cash used in investing activities (765,757) (39,364) (38,481) (22,827)

(Continued)

Index

SHENANDOAH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(in thousands)

 Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 Three Months Ended
March 31,
 2016 2015 2017 2016
Cash Flows From Financing Activities        
Principal payments on long-term debt $(207,816) $(17,250) $(6,062) $(5,750)
Amounts borrowed under debt agreements 835,000
 
 25,000
 
Cash paid for debt issuance costs (14,825) (7,820) 
 (1,528)
Excess tax benefits on stock awards 
 655
Repurchases of common stock (5,097) (1,799) (1,226) (3,526)
Proceeds from issuances of common stock 3,368
 826
 5
 2,809
Net cash provided by/(used in) financing activities 610,630
 (25,388) 17,717
 (7,995)
        
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents (49,281) 18,371
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents 3,734
 12,348
        
Cash and cash equivalents:  
  
  
  
Beginning 76,812
 68,917
 36,193
 76,812
Ending $27,531
 $87,288
 $39,927
 $89,160
        
Supplemental Disclosures of Cash Flow Information  
  
  
  
Cash payments for:  
  
  
  
Interest $14,671
 $5,550
Interest, net of capitalized interest of $577 and $146, respectively $8,380
 $1,632
        
Income taxes paid, net of refunds received $23,851
 $10,235
 $
 $876

Non-cash investing and financing activities:
 
At September 30,March 31, 2017 and 2016, and 2015, accounts payable included approximately $14.2$6.4 million and $1.0$1.2 million, respectively, associated with capital expenditures. Cash flows for accounts payable and acquisition of property, plant and equipment exclude this activity.

In conjunction withDuring the acquisition of nTelos,quarter ended March 31, 2017, the Company issued common stock to acquire non-controlling interests held by third partiesrecorded an increase in a subsidiarythe fair value of nTelos. The transaction was valued at $10.4 million.

The Company reclassified $4.3 millioninterest rate swaps of unamortized loan fees and costs included$972 thousand, an increase in deferred chargestax liabilities of $373 thousand, and an increase to accumulated other assets to long term debt in connection with the new Term loan A-1 and A-2 borrowing related to the acquisitioncomprehensive income of nTelos.$599 thousand.

See accompanying notes to unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

Index

SHENANDOAH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY AND SUBSIDIARIES
NOTES TO UNAUDITED CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

1.Basis of Presentation

The interim condensed consolidated financial statements of Shenandoah Telecommunications Company and Subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) are unaudited.  In the opinion of management, all adjustments necessary for a fair presentation of the interim results have been reflected therein.  All such adjustments were of a normal and recurring nature.  Prior year amounts have been reclassified in some cases to conform to the current year presentation. These financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and related notes in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2015.2016.  The accompanying balance sheet information at December 31, 20152016 was derived from the audited December 31, 20152016 consolidated balance sheet. Operating revenues and income (loss) from operations for any interim period are not necessarily indicative of results that may be expected for the entire year.

In connection with the nTelos acquisition and exchange transaction with Sprint (see Note 2), the Company has added the following significant accounting policies:

Revenue Recognition

Under the Company’s amended affiliate agreement, Sprint agreed to waive the management fee, which is historically presented as a contra-revenue by the Company, for a period of approximately six years.  The impact of Sprint’s waiver of the management fee over the approximate six-year period is reflected as an increase in revenue, offset by the non-cash adjustment to recognize this impact on a straight-line basis over the contract term of approximately 14 years.

Goodwill

Goodwill is not amortized but is tested for impairment on at least an annual basis. Impairment testing is required more often than annually if an event or circumstance indicates that impairment is more likely than not to have occurred. In conducting its annual impairment testing, the Company may first perform a qualitative assessment of whether it is more likely than not that a reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying amount. If not, no further goodwill impairment testing is required. If it is more likely than not that a reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying amount, or if the Company elects not to perform a qualitative assessment of a reporting unit, the Company then compares the fair value of the reporting unit to the related net book value. If the net book value of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss is measured and recognized. The Company conducts its annual impairment testing of goodwill as of October 1.

Pension Benefits and Retirement Benefits Other Than Pensions
Through the Company’s acquisition of nTelos, the Company assumed nTelos’ non-contributory defined benefit pension plan (“Pension Plan”) covering all employees who met eligibility requirements and were employed by nTelos prior to October 1, 2003. The Pension Plan was closed to nTelos employees hired on or after October 1, 2003. Pension benefits vest after five years of plan service and are based on years of service and an average of the five highest consecutive years of compensation subject to certain reductions if the employee retires before reaching age 65 and elects to receive the benefit prior to age 65. Effective December 31, 2012, nTelos froze future benefit accruals.  The Company uses updated mortality tables published by the Society of Actuaries that predict increasing life expectancies in the United States.

IRC Sections 412 and 430 and Sections 302 and 303 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended establish minimum funding requirements for defined benefit pension plans. The minimum required contribution is generally equal to the target normal cost plus the shortfall amortization installments for the current plan year and each of the six preceding plan years less any calculated credit balance. If plan assets (less calculated credits) are equal to or exceed the funding target, the minimum required contribution is the target normal cost reduced by the excess funding, but not below zero. The Company’s policy is to make contributions to stay at or above the threshold required in order to prevent benefit restrictions and related additional notice requirements and is intended to provide not only for benefits based on service to date, but also for those expected to be earned in the future. The Company also assumed two qualified nonpension postretirement benefit plans that provide certain health care and life benefits for nTelos retired employees that meet eligibility requirements. The health care plan is contributory, with participants’ contributions adjusted annually. The life insurance plan also is contributory. These obligations, along with all of the pension plans and other postretirement benefit plans, are obligations assumed by the Company. Eligibility for the life insurance plan is restricted to active pension participants age 50-64 as of January 5, 1994. Neither plan is eligible to employees hired after April 1993. The accounting for the plans anticipates that the Company will maintain a consistent level of cost sharing for the benefits with the retirees. The Company’s share of the projected costs of
Index

benefits that will be paid after retirement is generally being accrued by charges to expense over the eligible employees’ service periods to the dates they are fully eligible for benefits.
The Company records annual amounts relating to the Pension Plan and postretirement benefit plans based on calculations that incorporate various actuarial and other assumptions, including discount rates, mortality, assumed rates of return, turnover rates and healthcare cost trend rates. The Company reviews its assumptions on an annual basis and makes modifications to the assumptions based on current rates and trends when it is appropriate to do so. The effect of modifications to those assumptions is recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) and amortized to net periodic cost over future periods using the corridor method.

2.Acquisition of NTELOS Holdings Corp. and Exchange with Sprint

On May 6, 2016, the Company completed its previously announced acquisition of NTELOS Holdings Corp. (“nTelos”) for $665.4$667.8 million, in cash, net of cash acquired.  The acquisition was entered into to improve shareholder value through the expansion of the Company's Wireless service area and customer base while strengthening our relationship with Sprint.Sprint Corporation ("Sprint"). The purchase price was financed by a credit facility arranged by CoBank, ACB, (see Note 14).  The Company has included the operationsRoyal Bank of nTelos for financial reporting purposes for the period subsequent to the acquisition.Canada, Fifth Third Bank, Bank of America, N.A., Capital One, National Association, Citizens Bank N.A., and Toronto Dominion (Texas) LLC.  The Company has accounted for the acquisition of nTelos under the acquisition method of accounting, in accordance with Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) Accounting Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805, “Business Combinations”, and will accounthas accounted for any measurement period adjustments under Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) 2015-16, “Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement Period Adjustments”.  Under the acquisition method of accounting, the total purchase price is allocated to the tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed in connection with the acquisition based on their estimated fair values.

The preliminary allocation of the purchase price was based upon management’s preliminary valuation of the fair value of tangible and intangible assets acquired and liabilities assumed of nTelos, with the excess recorded as goodwill. During the first quarter of 2017, the Company made adjustments to the preliminary estimates of fair value resulting in immaterial changes to previously estimated fair values of fixed assets, asset retirement obligation liabilities, accounts receivable and deferred taxes. These adjustments resulted in a $1.3 million reduction to goodwill as shown in the table below. The following table showsCompany continues to review certain tax positions acquired in the initial estimatenTelos acquisition.

Changes in the carrying amount of value and changes recordedgoodwill during the third quarter of 2016three months ended March 31, 2017 are shown below (in thousands):

Index

 Initial EstimateRevisionsRevised Estimate
Accounts receivable$48,476
$1,045
$49,521
Inventory3,810

3,810
Restricted cash2,167

2,167
Investments1,501

1,501
Prepaid expenses and other assets14,835

14,835
Building held for sale4,950

4,950
Property, plant and equipment223,900
3,571
227,471
Spectrum licenses198,200

198,200
Customer based contract rights198,200
5,162
203,362
Contract based intangible assets11,000

11,000
Goodwill151,627
(6,328)145,299
Other long term assets10,288
555
10,843
Total assets acquired$868,954
$4,005
$872,959
  
  
Accounts payable$8,648
$(116)$8,532
Advanced billings and customer deposits12,477

12,477
Accrued expenses25,230

25,230
Capital lease liability418

418
Deferred tax liabilities124,964
2,758
127,722
Retirement benefits19,461
(263)19,198
Other long-term liabilities14,056

14,056
Total liabilities assumed205,254
2,379
207,633
  
  
Net assets acquired$663,700
$1,626
$665,326

Finalization of the purchase price allocations is dependent on final review and acceptance of the independent appraiser’s valuation report, which is on-going.

Closing on the sale of the former nTelos headquarter building held for sale is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2016.

Revisions to the provisional estimates shown above reflect:
adding $4.6 million of construction materials and inventory, less $1.0 million of software and other assets that the Company has determined have no utility to the Company post-acquisition;
the increases in accounts receivable and other long term assets relating to an adjustment to the estimated fair value of nTelos' financed handset receivables, applied to the current and long-term portions of these receivables. Losses on migrations of these receivables have been less than initially estimated;
the increase in net assets acquired resulting from the settlement of the appraisal rights dispute;
the value assigned to certain customer based intangibles increased by $5.2 million, with an offset to goodwill; and
the increase in deferred taxes payable (offset by an increase in goodwill) resulting from several of the changes shown above as well as true-ups in the net tax basis of fixed assets resulting from completion of nTelos' 2015 tax returns.

In addition to the changes in balances reflected above, the Company revised the provisional estimated useful lives of certain assets and recorded an adjustment to depreciation expense of $4.6 million relating to the second quarter for these assets.

Immediately after acquiring nTelos, Shenandoah Personal Communications, LLC, (“PCS”) a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, completed its previously announced transaction with SprintCom, Inc., an affiliate of Sprint Corporation (“Sprint”).  Pursuant to this transaction, among other things,  the Company exchanged spectrum licenses valued at $198.2 million and customer based contract rights, valued at $203.4 million, acquired from nTelos with Sprint, and received an expansion of its affiliate service territory to include most of the service area served by nTelos, valued at $287.8 million, as well as additional
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customer based contract rights, valued at $113.8 million, relating to nTelos’ and Sprint’s legacy customers in the Company’s affiliate service territory. These exchanges were accounted for in accordance with ASC 845, “Nonmonetary Transactions”. The transfer of spectrum to Sprint resulted in a taxable gain to the Company which will be recognized as the Company recognizes the cash benefit of the waived management fees over the next approximately six years.

The value of the affiliate agreement expansion is based on changes to the amended affiliate agreement that include:

an increase in the price to be paid by Sprint from 80% to 90% of the entire business value of PCS if the affiliate agreement is not renewed;
extension of the affiliate agreement with Sprint by 5 years to 2029;
expanded territory in the nTelos service area;
rights to serve all future Sprint customers in the affiliate service territory;
the Company’s commitment to upgrade certain coverage and capacity in its newly acquired service area; and
a reduction of the management fee charged by Sprint under the amended affiliate agreement; not to exceed $4.2 million in an individual month until the total waived fee equals $251.8 million, as well as an additional waiver of the management fee charged with respect to the former nTelos customers until the earlier of migration to the Sprint back-office billing and related systems or 6 months following the acquisition; not to exceed $5.0 million.

Intangible assets resulting from the acquisition of nTelos and the Sprint exchange, both described above, are noted below (dollars in thousands):

 Useful Life  Basis
Affiliate contract agreement14 years $287,800
Customer based contract rights4-10 years 113,761
Contract based intangible assets3-19 years 11,000

The affiliate contract agreement intangible asset value was increased by $29.7 million during the third quarter of 2016 and will be amortized on a straight-line basis and recorded as a contra-revenue over the remaining 14 year initial contract term.  The Company recorded an adjustment of $0.4 million of amortization expense on this asset during the third quarter of 2016 that related to the second quarter of 2016. The other contract based intangible assets will be amortized on a straight-line basis and recorded through amortization expense.  The customer based contract rights will be amortized over the life of the customers, gradually decreasing over the expected life of this asset, and recorded through amortization expense. The customer based contract rights value was reduced by $24.5 million during the third quarter of 2016, and amortization expense was reduced by $0.5 million during the third quarter that related to second quarter 2016. The value of these two assets changed primarily due to the effect on the initial provisional values of where certain cash flows should be reflected in those valuations.

The Company has recorded goodwill in its Wireless segment as a result of the nTelos acquisition.  This goodwill is not amortizable for tax purposes, as the Company acquired the common stock of nTelos.

Prior to the acquisition, nTelos was eligible to receive up to $5.0 million in connection with its winning bid in the Connect America Fund's Mobility Fund Phase I Auction ("Auction 901").  Pursuant to the terms of Auction 901, nTelos obtained a Letter of Credit (“LOC”) in the amount of $2.2 million for the benefit of the Universal Service Administrative Company (“USAC”) to cover each disbursement plus the amount of the performance default penalty (10% of the total eligible award).  In accordance with the terms of the LOC, nTelos deposited $2.2 million into a separate account at the issuing bank to serve as cash collateral and is presented as restricted cash.  Such funds will be released to the Company when the LOC is terminated without being drawn upon by USAC, which is expected to occur in the fourth quarter of 2016.

At the time of the acquisition, certain third party investors held a non-controlling interest in one of nTelos’ subsidiaries.  Immediately after the acquisition of nTelos, the Company acquired these interests in exchange for 380,000 shares of Company common stock, to be paid in five equal installments, with the first installment paid immediately and the remaining four to be paid over the next 4 years.  This transaction was valued at $10.4 million.

In connection with the acquisition, at closing, the Company borrowed $810.0 million in term loans with a weighted average effective interest rate of approximately 3.84%.  The proceeds were used to finance in part the acquisition, including the repayment of the Company’s term loan of $195.5 million, and the repayment of nTelos’ term loans at the outstanding principal amount of $519.7 million, without penalty.

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 December 31,
2016
Purchase Accounting AdjustmentsMarch 31,
2017
Goodwill - Wireline segment$10
$
$10
Goodwill - Cable segment104

104
Goodwill - Wireless segment145,142
(1,255)143,887
Goodwill as of March 31, 2017$145,256
$(1,255)$144,001

Following are the unaudited pro forma results of the Company for the three monthsperiod ended September 30, 2015 and the nine months ended September 30,March 31, 2016, and 2015, as if the acquisition of nTelos had occurred at the beginning of each of the periods presented. The three months ended September 30, 2016 are not presented as those results already include nTelos' resultsperiod. (in thousands):

  Three Months Ended
September 30,
  2016 2015
Operating revenues $ N/A $166,614
Income before income taxes $ N/A $2,588
 Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 2016 2015 March 31,
2016
Operating revenues $492,114
 $509,415
 $173,248
Income (loss) before income taxes $(4,016) $39,680
Income before income taxes $16,905

The pro forma disclosures shown above are based upon estimated preliminary valuations of the assets acquired and liabilities assumed as well as preliminary estimates of depreciation and amortization charges thereon, that may differ from the final fair values of the acquired assets and assumed liabilities and the resulting depreciation and amortization charges thereon.   Other pro forma adjustments include the following:

changes in nTelos’ reported revenues from cancelling nTelos’ wholesale contract with Sprint;
the incorporation of the Sprint-homed customers formerly serviced under the wholesale agreement into the Company’s affiliate service territory under the Company’s affiliate agreement with Sprint;
the effect of other changes to revenues and expenses due to various provisions of the affiliate agreement, including fees charged under the affiliate agreement on revenues from former nTelos customers, a reduction of the net service fee charged by Sprint, the straight-line impact of the waived management fee, and the amortization of the affiliate agreement expansion intangible asset; and the elimination of non-recurring transaction related expenses incurred by the Company and nTelos;
the elimination of certain nTelos operating costs associated with billing and care that are covered under the fees charged by Sprint under the affiliate agreement;
historical depreciation expense was reduced for the fair value adjustment decreasing the basis of property, plant and equipment; this decrease was offset by a shorter estimated useful life to conform to the Company’s standard policy and the acceleration of depreciation on certain equipment; and
incremental amortization due to the customer-based contract rights associated with acquired customers.

In connection with these transactions, the Company chose to proactively migrate the former nTelos customers to devicesincurs costs which can interact with the Sprint billing and network systems, and expects to incur a total of between $106 million and $126 million of integration and acquisition expenses associated with this transaction, excluding approximately $24 million of debt issuance costs.  These costs include the nTelos back office staff and support functions until the nTelos legacy customers are migrated to the Sprint billing platform; costs of the handsets to be provided to
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nTelos legacy customers as they migrate to the Sprint billing platform; severance costs for back office and other former nTelos employees who will not be retained permanently; transactionand costs to shut down certain cell sites and related fees; net of proceeds from the sale of the former nTelos headquarters building.backhaul contracts. We have incurred $20.2 million and $43.9$7.1 million of these costs in the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2016, respectively,March 31, 2017, including $0.7$0.1 million reflected in cost of goods and services and $4.2$2.5 million reflected in selling, general and administrative costs in the three month periodmonths ended September 30, 2016, and $1.0 million reflected in cost of goods and services and $7.1 million reflected in selling, general and administrative costs in the nine month period ended September 30, 2016.March 31, 2017.

The amounts of operating revenue and income or loss before income taxes related to the former nTelos entity are not readily determinable due to intercompany transactions, allocations and integration activities that have occurred in connection with the operations of the combined company.


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3.Intangible assets

Intangible assets consisted of the following (in thousands):

  September 30,
2016
 December 31,
2015
  
Gross
Carrying
Amount
 
Accumulated
Amortization
 Net 
Gross
Carrying
Amount
 
Accumulated
Amortization
 Net
Non-amortizing intangibles:      
Cable franchise rights $64,431
 $
 $64,431
 $64,098
 $
 $64,098
             
Finite-lived intangibles:
Affiliate contract expansion rights $287,800
 $(8,883) $278,917
 $
 $
 $
Acquired subscribers – wireless 113,761
 (11,442) 102,319
 
 
 
Contract based intangibles – wireless 11,000
 (458) 10,542
 
 
 
Acquired subscribers – cable 25,265
 (24,452) 813
 25,326
 (23,805) 1,521
Other intangibles 2,102
 (723) 1,379
 1,938
 (564) 1,374
Total finite-lived intangibles $439,928
 $(45,958) $393,970
 $27,264
 $(24,369) 2,895
Total intangible assets $504,359
 $(45,958) $458,401
 $91,362
 $(24,369) $66,993

Aggregate amortization expense for intangible assets for the periods shown is expected to be as follows:

Year Ending
December 31,
Amount
 (in thousands)
2016 Remaining$12,463
201745,091
201839,372
201935,428
202032,718
202130,139
thereafter198,759
Total$393,970
Changes in the carrying amount of goodwill during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 are shown below (in thousands):
Goodwill as of December 31, 2015, Wireline segment$10
Goodwill recorded January 2016, Cable segment, Colane acquisition104
Goodwill recorded May 2016, Wireless segment, nTelos acquisition145,299
Goodwill as of September 30, 2016$145,413

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4.Property, Plant and Equipment

Property, plant and equipment consisted of the following (in thousands):

 September 30,
2016
 December 31,
2015
 March 31,
2017
 December 31,
2016
Plant in service $1,020,014
 $718,503
 $1,124,446
 $1,085,318
Plant under construction 75,976
 36,600
 61,980
 73,759
 1,095,990
 755,103
 1,186,426
 1,159,077
Less accumulated amortization and depreciation 428,249
 345,085
 496,478
 460,955
Net property, plant and equipment $667,741
 $410,018
 $689,948
 $698,122

5.4.Earnings (loss) per share

Basic net income (loss) per share was computed on the weighted average number of shares outstanding.  Diluted net income per share was computed under the treasury stock method, assuming the conversion as of the beginning of the period, for all dilutive stock options.  Of the 664913 thousand and 991 thousand shares and options outstanding at September 30, 2015, 46March 31, 2017 and 2016, respectively, 125 thousand and 136 thousand were anti-dilutive.anti-dilutive, respectively.  These shares and options have been excluded from the computations of diluted earnings per share for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2015.  Due to the net loss for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, no adjustment was made to basic shares, as such adjustment would have been anti-dilutive.their respective period. There were no adjustments to net income (loss) for anyeither period.

6.5.Investments Carried at Fair Value

Investments include $2.9$3.1 million and $2.7$2.9 million of investments carried at fair value as of September 30, 2016March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2015,2016, respectively, consisting of equity, bond and money market mutual funds.  Investments carried at fair value were acquired under a rabbi trust arrangement related to the Company’s nonqualified Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan (the “SERP”). The Company purchases investments in the trust to mirror the investment elections of participants in the SERP; gains and losses on the investments in the trust are reflected as increases or decreases in the liability owed to the participants. During the ninethree months ended September 30, 2016,March 31, 2017, the Company recognized $161$32 thousand in dividend and interest income from investments, and recorded net unrealized gains of $180$120 thousand on these investments. Fair values for these investments held under the rabbi trust were determined by Level 1 quoted market prices for the underlying mutual funds.

7.Equipment Installment Plan Receivables

As partAt March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016, other investments, comprised of equity securities which do not have readily determinable fair values, consist of the acquisition of nTelos, the Company acquired the accounts receivable associated with nTelos’ Equipment Installment Plan, (“EIP”).  This plan allowed EIP subscribers to pay for their devices in installments over a 24-month period. At the time of an installment sale, nTelos imputed interest on the installment receivable using current market interest rate estimates ranging from approximately 5% to 10%.  Additionally, the customer had the right to trade in their original device after a specified period of time for a new device and have the remaining unpaid balance satisfied. This trade-in right was measured at the estimated fair value of the device being traded in based on current trade-in values and the timing of the trade-in.following:

Immediately following the acquisition, the Company terminated the EIP offering but has continued to service the installment receivable and trade in obligation until such time that the customer migrates to Sprint.  The accounts receivable associated with EIP and the trade-in liability were estimated at its fair value at acquisition date in accordance with ASC 805, “Business Combinations”.
 3/31/2017 12/31/2016
Cost method:(in thousands)
CoBank$6,296
 $6,177
Other – Equity in other telecommunications partners740
 742
 7,036
 6,919
Equity method:   
Other513
 450
Total other investments$7,549
 $7,369

There was $9.3 million of unmigrated, acquired EIP receivables as of September 30, 2016.  The short term portion of $7.4 million is included in accounts receivable, net.  The long term portion of $1.9 million is included in deferred charges and other assets, net. An additional $6.3 million of acquired EIP receivables have been subsequently transferred to Sprint and the resulting receivables from Sprint are also included in accounts receivable, net.

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8.6.Financial Instruments

Financial instruments on the condensed consolidated balance sheets that approximate fair value include:  cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, receivables, investments carried at fair value, payables, accrued liabilities, interest rate swaps and variable rate long-term debt.

9.7.
Derivative Instruments, Hedging Activities and Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)

The Company’s objectives in using interest rate derivatives are to add stability to cash flows and to manage its exposure to interest rate movements. To accomplish this objective,these objectives, the Company primarily uses interest rate swaps as part of its interest rate risk management strategy. Interest rate swaps (both those designated as cash flow hedges as well as those not designated as cash flow hedges) involve the receipt of variable-rate amounts from a counterparty in exchange for the Company making fixed-rate payments over the life of the agreements without exchange of the underlying notional amount.

The Company entered into a pay-fixed, receive-variable interest rate swap of $174.6 million of notional principal in September 2012.  This interest rate swap was designated as a cash flow hedge.  The total outstanding notional amount of thethis cash flow hedge was $139.7$131.0 million as of September 30, 2016.March 31, 2017.  The outstanding notional amount decreases as the Company makesbased upon scheduled principal payments on the 2012 debt.

In May 2016, the Company entered into a pay-fixed, receive-variable interest rate swap of $256.6 million of notional principal with three counterparties.   This interest rate swap was designated as a cash flow hedge.  The total outstanding notional amount of thethis cash flow hedge was $287.3$302.4 million as of September 30, 2016.March 31, 2017.  The outstanding notional amount increases with eachbased upon draws expected draw onto be made under a portion of the termCompany's Term Loan A-2 debt and as the 2012 interest rate swap's notional principal decreases, and will decrease as the Company makes scheduled principal payments on the 2016 debt.  In combination with the swap entered into in 2012 described above, the Company is hedging approximately 50% of the expected outstanding debt (including expected draws under the delayed draw term loan) associated with the nTelos acquisition.debt.

The effective portion of changes in the fair value of interest rate swaps designated and that qualify as cash flow hedges is recorded in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) and is subsequently reclassified into earnings in the period that the hedged forecasted transaction affects earnings. The Company uses its derivatives to hedge the variable cash flows associated with existing variable-rate debt. The ineffective portion of the change in fair value of the derivative is recognized directly in earnings through interest expense. No hedge ineffectiveness was recognized during any of the periods presented.

Amounts reported in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) related to the interest rate swaps designated and qualified as a cash flow hedge, are reclassified to interest expense as interest payments are made on the Company’s variable-rate debt. As of September 30, 2016,March 31, 2017, the Company estimates that $2.3 million$237 thousand will be reclassified as an increase toa reduction of interest expense during the next twelve months due to the interest rate swaps since the hedge interest rate exceeds the variable interest rate on the debt.months.

The table below presents the fair value of the Company’s derivative financial instrument as well as its classification on the condensed consolidated balance sheet as of September 30, 2016March 31, 2017 and December 31, 20152016 (in thousands):
 
 Derivatives Derivatives
 Fair Value as of  Fair Value as of
 
Balance Sheet
Location
 September 30,
2016
 December 31,
2015
 
Balance Sheet
Location
 March 31,
2017
 December 31,
2016
Derivatives designated as hedging instruments:            
Interest rate swap    
  
    
  
 Accrued liabilities and other $(2,283) $(682) Prepaid expenses and other $237
 $
 Other liabilities (1,355) 
 Deferred charges and other assets, net 11,958
 12,118
 Deferred charges and other assets, net 
 1,370
 Accrued liabilities and other 
 (895)
Total derivatives designated as hedging instruments   $(3,638) $688
   $12,195
 $11,223

The fair value of interest rate swaps is determined using a pricing model with inputs that are observable in the market (level 2 fair value inputs).

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The table below presents change in accumulated other comprehensive income (loss) by component for the ninethree months ended September 30, 2016March 31, 2017 (in thousands):

  
Gains and
(Losses) on
Cash Flow
 Hedges
 
Income
Tax
 (Expense)
 Benefit
 
Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income (Loss)
Balance as of December 31, 2015 $688
 $(273) $415
Other comprehensive loss before reclassifications (5,832) 2,363
 (3,469)
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (to interest expense) 1,506
 (610) 896
Net current period other comprehensive loss (4,326) 1,753
 (2,573)
Balance as of September 30, 2016 $(3,638) $1,480
 $(2,158)
  
Gains on
Cash Flow
 Hedges
 
Income
Tax
 Expense
 
Accumulated
Other
Comprehensive
Income
Balance as of December 31, 2016 $11,223
 $(4,435) $6,788
Other comprehensive income before reclassifications 541
 (208) 333
Amounts reclassified from accumulated other comprehensive income (to interest expense) 431
 (165) 266
Net current period other comprehensive income 972
 (373) 599
Balance as of March 31, 2017 $12,195
 $(4,808) $7,387


8. Intangible Assets, Net

Intangible assets consist of the following at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016:
 March 31, 2017 December 31, 2016
 
Gross
Carrying
Amount
 
Accumulated
Amortization
 Net 
Gross
Carrying
Amount
 
Accumulated
Amortization
 Net
Non-amortizing intangibles:      
Cable franchise rights$64,334
 $
 $64,334
 $64,334
 $
 $64,334
Railroad crossing rights97
 
 97
 97
 
 97
 64,431
 
 64,431
 64,431
 
 64,431
            
Finite-lived intangibles:
Affiliate contract expansion284,102
 (19,008) 265,094
 284,102
 (14,030) 270,072
Acquired subscribers – wireless120,855
 (25,387) 95,468
 120,855
 (18,738) 102,117
Favorable leases - wireless16,950
 (1,531) 15,419
 16,950
 (1,130) 15,820
Acquired subscribers – cable25,265
 (24,802) 463
 25,265
 (24,631) 634
Other intangibles3,230
 (797) 2,433
 2,212
 (754) 1,458
Total finite-lived intangibles450,402
 (71,525) 378,877
 449,384
 (59,283) 390,101
Total intangible assets$514,833
 $(71,525) $443,308
 $513,815
 $(59,283) $454,532

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10.9.Accrued and Other liabilities

Accrued liabilities and other includes the following (in thousands);:

 September 30, 2016 December 31, 2015 
March 31,
2017
 
December 31,
2016
Sales and property taxes payable $6,835
 $1,055
 $4,742
 $6,628
Severance accrual, current portion 5,625
 
 3,553
 4,267
Asset retirement obligations, current portion 8,063
 
 884
 5,841
Other current liabilities 11,010
 6,584
 8,995
 12,349
Accrued liabilities and other $31,533
 $7,639
 $18,174
 $29,085


Other liabilities include the following (in thousands):

 September 30,
2016
 December 31,
2015
 March 31,
2017
 December 31,
2016
Retirement plan obligations $22,156
 $2,654
Non-current portion of deferred revenues 8,819
 4,156
 $7,735
 $8,933
Straight-line management fee waiver 7,687
 
 16,180
 11,974
Other 3,935
 2,229
 2,142
 2,836
Other liabilities $42,597
 $9,039
 $26,057
 $23,743

10. Long-Term Debt and Revolving Lines of Credit

Total debt at March 31, 2017 and December 31, 2016 consists of the following:
(In thousands) March 31, 2017 December 31, 2016
Term loan A-1 $466,813
 $472,875
Term loan A-2 400,000
 375,000
  866,813
 847,875
Less: unamortized loan fees 17,816
 18,610
Total debt, net of unamortized loan fees $848,997
 $829,265
     
Current maturities of long term debt, net of unamortized loan fees $38,124
 $32,041
Long-term debt, less current maturities, net of unamortized loan fees $810,873
 $797,224

As of March 31, 2017, our indebtedness totaled $866.8 million in term loans with an annualized effective interest rate of approximately 3.91% after considering the impact of the interest rate swap contract and unamortized loan costs.  The balance consists of the $466.8 million Term Loan A-1 at a variable rate (3.73% as of March 31, 2017) that resets monthly based on one month LIBOR plus a margin of 2.75%, and the $400 million Term Loan A-2 at a variable rate (3.98% as of March 31, 2017) that resets monthly based on one month LIBOR plus a margin of 3.00%.  The Term Loan A-1 requires quarterly principal repayments of $6.1 million through June 30, 2017, then increasing to $12.1 million quarterly through June 30, 2020, with further increases at that time through maturity in June 30, 2021.  The Term Loan A-2 requires quarterly principal repayments of $10.0 million beginning on September 30, 2018 through March 31, 2023, with the remaining balance due June 30, 2023.

The Company is subject to certain financial covenants to be measured on a trailing twelve month basis each calendar quarter unless otherwise specified.  These covenants include:

a limitation on the Company’s total leverage ratio, defined as indebtedness divided by earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, of less than or equal to 3.75 to 1.00 from the closing date through December 30, 2018, then 3.25 to 1.00 through December 30, 2019, and 3.00 to 1.00 thereafter;
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a minimum debt service coverage ratio, defined as EBITDA minus certain cash taxes divided by the sum of all scheduled principal payments on the Term Loans and scheduled principal payments on other indebtedness plus cash interest expense, greater than 2.00 to 1.00;
the Company must maintain a minimum liquidity balance, defined as availability under the revolver facility plus unrestricted cash and cash equivalents on deposit in a deposit account for which a control agreement has been delivered to the administrative agent under the 2016 credit agreement, of greater than $25 million at all times.

These ratios are generally less restrictive than the covenant ratios the Company had been required to comply with under its previously existing debt arrangements.  As shown below, as of March 31, 2017, the Company was in compliance with the financial covenants in its credit agreements.
ActualCovenant Requirement
Total Leverage Ratio2.883.75 or Lower
Debt Service Coverage Ratio4.562.00 or Higher
Minimum Liquidity Balance$113 million$25 million or Higher

11.Segment Information

Operating segments are defined as components of an enterprise about which separate financial information is available that is evaluated regularly by the chief operating decision maker.  The Company has three reportable segments, which the Company operates and manages as strategic business units organized by lines of business: (1) Wireless, (2) Cable, and (3) Wireline.   A fourth segment, Other, primarily includes Shenandoah Telecommunications Company, the parent holding company.

ThePrior to the recent acquisition of nTelos, the Wireless segment had provided digital wireless service to a portion of a four-state area covering the region from Harrisburg, York and Altoona, Pennsylvania, to Harrisonburg, Virginia, as a Sprint PCS Affiliate. With the recent acquisition, of nTelos (see Note 2), the Company's wireless service has expanded to include south-central and western Virginia, West Virginia, and small portions of Kentucky and Ohio. This segment also owns cell site towers built on leased land, and leases space on these towers to both affiliates and non-affiliated service providers.

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The Cable segment provides video, internet and voice services in Virginia, West Virginia and Maryland, and leases fiber optic facilities throughout southern Virginia and West Virginia. It does not include video, internet and voice services provided to customers in Shenandoah County, Virginia.

The Wireline segment provides regulated and unregulated voice services, DSL internet access, and long distance access services throughout Shenandoah County and portions of Rockingham, Frederick, Warren and Augusta counties, Virginia. The segment also provides video and cable modem services in portions of Shenandoah County, and leases fiber optic facilities throughout the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, northern Virginia and adjacent areas along the Interstate 81 corridor through West Virginia, Maryland and portions of central and southern Pennsylvania.

Index

Three months ended September 30, 2016March 31, 2017 
(in thousands)
  Wireless Cable Wireline Other Eliminations 
Consolidated
Totals
External revenues            
Service revenues $111,001
 $24,948
 $4,948
 $
 $
 $140,897
Other 7,978
 2,031
 5,930
 
 
 15,939
Total external revenues 118,979
 26,979
 10,878
 
 
 156,836
Internal revenues 1,140
 587
 7,854
 
 (9,581) 
Total operating revenues 120,119
 27,566
 18,732
 
 (9,581) 156,836
             
Operating expenses  
  
  
  
  
  
Costs of goods and services, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 43,097
 14,654
 9,442
 
 (8,876) 58,317
Selling, general and administrative, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 29,892
 4,770
 1,676
 4,736
 (705) 40,369
Integration and acquisition expenses 14,499
 
 
 773
 
 15,272
Depreciation and amortization 38,038
 5,860
 2,822
 87
 
 46,807
Total operating expenses 125,526
 25,284
 13,940
 5,596
 (9,581) 160,765
Operating income (loss) $(5,407) $2,282
 $4,792
 $(5,596) $
 $(3,929)

Index
  Wireless Cable Wireline Other Eliminations 
Consolidated
Totals
External revenues            
Service revenues $108,186
 $26,411
 $5,048
 $
 $
 $139,645
Other 6,042
 2,035
 6,158
 
 
 14,235
Total external revenues 114,228
 28,446
 11,206
 
 
 153,880
Internal revenues 1,235
 567
 7,948
 
 (9,750) 
Total operating revenues 115,463
 29,013
 19,154
 
 (9,750) 153,880
             
Operating expenses  
  
  
  
  
  
Costs of goods and services, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 38,318
 15,228
 9,273
 
 (9,058) 53,761
Selling, general and administrative, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 28,464
 4,858
 1,676
 5,847
 (692) 40,153
Integration and acquisition expenses 3,792
 
 
 697
 
 4,489
Depreciation and amortization 35,752
 5,788
 3,132
 132
 
 44,804
Total operating expenses 106,326
 25,874
 14,081
 6,676
 (9,750) 143,207
Operating income (loss) $9,137
 $3,139
 $5,073
 $(6,676) $
 $10,673

Three months ended September 30, 2015
 (in thousands)
  Wireless Cable Wireline Other Eliminations 
Consolidated
Totals
External revenues            
Service revenues $47,793
 $22,284
 $4,904
 $
 $
 $74,981
Other 2,734
 1,882
 5,615
 
 

 10,231
Total external revenues 50,527
 24,166
 10,519
 
 
 85,212
Internal revenues 1,109
 251
 6,759
 

 (8,119) 
Total operating revenues 51,636
 24,417
 17,278
 
 (8,119) 85,212
             
Operating expenses  
  
  
  
  
  
Costs of goods and services, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 15,572
 14,124
 8,212
 
 (7,338) 30,570
Selling, general and administrative, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 9,027
 4,948
 1,688
 3,424
 (781) 18,306
Integration and acquisition expenses 
 
 
 2,129
 
 2,129
Depreciation and amortization 9,644
 5,948
 3,404
 122
 
 19,118
Total operating expenses 34,243
 25,020
 13,304
 5,675
 (8,119) 70,123
Operating income (loss) $17,393
 $(603) $3,974
 $(5,675) $
 $15,089
Index

Nine months ended September 30,March 31, 2016
 (in thousands)
 Wireless Cable Wireline Other Eliminations 
Consolidated
Totals
 Wireless Cable Wireline Other Eliminations 
Consolidated
Totals
External revenues                        
Service revenues $250,053
 $73,455
 $14,727
 $
 $
 $338,235
 $52,179
 $24,340
 $4,960
 $
 $
 $81,479
Other 17,461
 5,799
 18,221
 
 
 41,481
 3,203
 1,846
 6,043
 
 

 11,092
Total external revenues 267,514
 79,254
 32,948
 
 
 379,716
 55,382
 26,186
 11,003
 
 
 92,571
Internal revenues 3,417
 1,159
 22,754
 

 (27,330) 
 1,136
 260
 7,376
 

 (8,772) 
Total operating revenues 270,931
 80,413
 55,702
 
 (27,330) 379,716
 56,518
 26,446
 18,379
 
 (8,772) 92,571
                        
Operating expenses  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Costs of goods and services, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 94,892
 43,864
 26,892
 
 (25,294) 140,354
 16,578
 14,647
 8,643
 
 (8,106) 31,762
Selling, general and administrative, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 65,219
 14,672
 4,951
 13,457
 (2,036) 96,263
 11,514
 5,108
 1,605
 3,865
 (666) 21,426
Integration and acquisition expenses 19,889
 
 
 15,912
 
 35,801
 
 
 
 332
 
 332
Depreciation and amortization 70,026
 17,834
 8,789
 312
 
 96,961
 8,494
 6,095
 3,033
 117
 
 17,739
Total operating expenses 250,026
 76,370
 40,632
 29,681
 (27,330) 369,379
 36,586
 25,850
 13,281
 4,314
 (8,772) 71,259
Operating income (loss) $20,905
 $4,043
 $15,070
 $(29,681) $
 $10,337
 $19,932
 $596
 $5,098
 $(4,314) $
 $21,312

Nine months ended September 30, 2015
 (in thousands)
  Wireless Cable Wireline Other Eliminations 
Consolidated
Totals
External revenues            
Service revenues $144,917
 $65,802
 $14,543
 $
 $
 $225,262
Other 8,611
 5,495
 15,834
 
 
 29,940
Total external revenues 153,528
 71,297
 30,377
 
 
 255,202
Internal revenues 3,319
 585
 18,950
 

 (22,854) 
Total operating revenues 156,847
 71,882
 49,327
 
 (22,854) 255,202
 ��           
Operating expenses  
  
  
  
  
  
Costs of goods and services, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 47,661
 41,378
 23,224
 
 (20,722) 91,541
Selling, general and administrative, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 26,996
 14,924
 4,923
 10,313
 (2,132) 55,024
Integration and acquisition expenses 
 
 
 3,153
 
 3,153
Depreciation and amortization 26,089
 17,286
 9,411
 333
 
 53,119
Total operating expenses 100,746
 73,588
 37,558
 13,799
 (22,854) 202,837
Operating income (loss) $56,101
 $(1,706) $11,769
 $(13,799) $
 $52,365

Index

A reconciliation of the total of the reportable segments’ operating income (loss) to consolidated income (loss) before taxes is as follows:

  Three Months Ended
September 30,
(in thousands) 2016 2015
Total consolidated operating income (loss) $(3,929) $15,089
Interest expense (8,845) (1,808)
Non-operating income, net 1,527
 180
Income (loss) before income taxes $(11,247) $13,461

 Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 Three Months Ended
March 31,
 2016 2015
Total consolidated operating income (loss) $10,337
 $52,365
(in thousands) 2017 2016
Total consolidated operating income $10,673
 $21,312
Interest expense (16,369) (5,663) (9,100) (1,619)
Non-operating income, net 3,147
 1,253
 1,375
 556
Income (loss) before income taxes $(2,885) $47,955
Income before income taxes $2,948
 $20,249

The Company’s assets by segment are as follows:
(in thousands)
 September 30,
2016
 December 31,
2015
 March 31,
2017
 December 31,
2016
Wireless $1,106,023
 $205,718
 $1,039,211
 $1,101,716
Cable 213,664
 209,132
 220,519
 218,471
Wireline 109,647
 105,369
 116,390
 115,282
Other 1,052,205
 463,390
 1,070,204
 1,059,898
Combined totals 2,481,539
 983,609
 2,446,324
 2,495,367
Inter-segment eliminations (1,047,914) (356,458) (993,335) (1,010,960)
Consolidated totals $1,433,625
 $627,151
 $1,452,989
 $1,484,407

12.Income Taxes

The Company files U.S. federal income tax returns and various state and local income tax returns.  With few exceptions, years prior to 2013 are no longer subject to examination.examination; net operating losses acquired in the nTelos acquisition are open to examination from 2002 forward. The Company is not subject to any state or federal income tax audits as of September 30, 2016.March 31, 2017.

13.Adoption of New Accounting Principles

During 2016,the first quarter of 2017, the Company adopted four recentone new accounting principles:principle: Accounting Standards Update 2015-3, “Interest – Imputation("ASU") No. 2015-11, "Inventory: Simplifying the Measurement of Interest” (ASU 2015-3),Inventory". This ASU 2015-17, “Balance Sheet Classificationchanges the measurement principle for inventory from the lower of Deferred Taxes”,cost or market to lower of cost and net realizable value. The ASU 2016-9, “Improvements to Employee Share-based Payment Accounting,” and ASU 2015-16, “Simplifying the Accounting for Measurement-Period Adjustments.”

ASU 2015-3 requires that premiums, discounts, and loan fees and costs associated with long term debt be reflected as a reduction of the outstanding debt balance.  Previous guidance had treated such loan fees and costs as a deferred charge on the balance sheet.  As a result of implementing ASU 2015-3, the Company reclassified $1.6 million of unamortized loan fees and costs included in deferred charges and other assets as of December 31, 2015 to long-term debt.  Approximately $0.5 million was allocated to current maturities of long-term debt, and $1.1 million to long term debt.  Total assets, as well as total liabilities and shareholders’ equity, were also reduced by the same $1.6 million.  In addition, the Company reclassified $4.3 million of unamortized loan fees and costs included in deferred charges and other assets to long term debt in connection with the new Term loan A-1 and A-2 borrowing related to the acquisition of nTelos.  Total assets, as well as total liabilities and shareholders’ equity, were also reduced by the same $4.3 million.  There was no impact on the statements of income or cash flows.
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ASU 2015-17 simplifies accounting for deferred taxes by eliminating the requirement to present deferred tax assets and liabilities as current and non-current in a classified balance sheet.  Due to the immaterial balance of current deferred tax assets ($0.9 million as of December 31, 2015), the Company has elected to apply this guidance prospectively, and thus prior periods have not been retrospectively adjusted.

ASU 2016-9 simplifies certain provisions related to the accounting for the tax effects of stock-based compensation transactions.  In particular for the Company, it eliminates the requirement for entities to determine for each award whether the difference between book compensation and tax compensation results inconsider replacement cost or net realizable value less an excess tax benefit orapproximately normal profit margin when measuring inventory. The adoption of this ASU did not have a tax deficiency, which generally speaking, result in an entry to additional paid-in-capital.  Under the new guidance, all tax effects for exercised or vested awards are recognized as discrete items in income tax expense.  The new guidance also allows an employer to withhold shares to cover more than the minimum statutory withholding taxes (but not more than the maximum statutory withholding requirements) without causing an equity-classified award to become a liability classified award.  The other provisions of the new guidance are either not applicable or have no significant impact on the Company’s accounting for stock-based compensation transactions.  The Company has elected to early adopt the new guidance and apply it prospectively to tax effects on share-based compensation transactions.

ASU 2015-16 requires that an acquirer recognize adjustments to provisional amounts that are identified during the measurement period in the reporting period in which the adjustment amounts are determined. See Note 2 for adjustments recorded during the third quarter of 2016.our financial statements.

14.Long-term Debt and Revolving Line of Credit

Total debt consists of the following:14. Subsequent Events

(In thousands) September 30,
2016
 December 31,
2015
Term loan A $
 $201,250
Term loan A-1 478,937
 
Term loan A-2 350,000
 
  828,937
 201,250
Less: unamortized loan fees 19,370
 1,589
Total debt, net of unamortized loan fees $809,567
 $199,661
     
Current maturities of long term debt, net of unamortized loan fees $25,972
 $22,492
Long-term debt, less current maturities, net of unamortized loan fees $783,595
 $177,169

As previously disclosed, on December 18, 2015,On March 9, 2017, the Company and Sprint entered into Addendum XX to the Sprint PCS Management Agreement. Addendum XX provides for (i) an expansion of the Company’s “Service Area” (as defined in the Sprint PCS Management Agreement) to include certain areas in Kentucky, Maryland, Ohio and West Virginia (the “Expansion Area”), (ii) certain network build out requirements in the Expansion Area over the next three years, (iii) the Company’s provision of prepaid field sales support to Sprint and its affiliates in the Service Area, (iv) Sprint’s provision of spectrum use to the Company in the Expansion Area, (v) the addition of Horizon Personal Communications, LLC, as a Creditparty to the Sprint PCS Management Agreement (as amended,and the “2016 credit agreement”Sprint PCS Services Agreement (collectively, the “Affiliate Agreements) with various banks and (vi) certain other financial institutions party thereto and CoBank, ACB, as administrative agent foramendments to the lenders, providing for three facilities: (i) a five year revolving credit facility of up to $75 million; (ii) a five-year term loan facility of up to $485 million (Term Loan A-1”); and (iii) a seven-year term loan facility of up to $400 million (“Term Loan A-2”).

Affiliate Agreements.
In connection with the closingexecution of the nTelos acquisition,Addendum XX, on March 9, 2017, the Company borrowed (i) $485 million under Term Loan A-1 and (ii) $325 million under Term Loan A-2, which amounts were usedcertain affiliates of Sprint entered into an agreement to, among other things, fundtransfer to Sprint certain customers in the payment ofExpansion Area and the nTelos merger consideration, to refinance, in full, all indebtedness under the Company’s existing credit agreement, to repay existing long-term indebtedness of nTelosunderlying customer agreements, and to pay fees and expensestransition the provision of network coverage in connection with the foregoing.  In connection with the consummation of the nTelos acquisition, nTelos and its subsidiaries became guarantors under the 2016 credit agreement and pledged their assets as security for the obligations under the 2016 credit agreement.  The 2016 credit agreement also includes $75 million available under the Term Loan A-2 as a “delayed draw term loan,” and in June 2016, the Company drew $25 million under this portion of the agreement. Finally, the 2016 credit agreement also includes a $75 million revolver facility.

As of September 30, 2016, the Company’s indebtedness totaled $809.6 million, net of unamortized loan fees of $19.4 million, with an annualized overall weighted average interest rate of approximately 3.83%.  The Term Loan A-1 bears interest at one-
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month LIBOR plus a margin of 2.75%, while the Term Loan A-2 bears interest at one-month LIBOR plus a margin of 3.00%.  LIBOR resets monthly.  These loans are more fully described below.

The Term Loan A-1 requires quarterly principal repayments of $6.1 million, which began on September 30, 2016, and will continue through June 30, 2017, increasing to $12.1 million quarterlyExpansion Area from September 30, 2017 through June 30, 2020, increasing to $18.2 million quarterly from September 30, 2020 thereafter through March 31, 2021, with the remaining expected balance of approximately $260.7 million due June 30, 2021.  The Term Loan A-2 requires quarterly principal repayments of $10.0 million beginning on September 30, 2018 through March 31, 2023, with the current remaining expected balance of approximately $160.0 million due June 30, 2023.

The 2016 credit agreement also required the Company to enter into one or more hedge agreements to manage its exposure to interest rate movements.  The Company elected to hedge the minimum required under the 2016 credit agreement, and entered into a pay fixed, receive variable swap on 50% of the aggregate expected principal balance of the term loans outstanding.  The Company will receive one month LIBOR and pay a fixed rate of 1.16%, in additionSprint to the 2.75% initial spread on Term Loan A-1Company. The expanded territory includes approximately 500 thousand market POPs and the 3.00% initial spread on Term Loan A-2.

The 2016 credit agreement contains affirmative and negative covenants customary to secured credit facilities, including covenants restricting the ability of the Company and its subsidiaries, subject to negotiated exceptions, to incur additional indebtedness and additional liens on their assets, engage in mergers or acquisitions or dispose of assets, pay dividends or make other distributions, voluntarily prepay other indebtedness, enter into transactions with affiliated persons, make investments, and change the nature of the Company’s and its subsidiaries’ businesses.

Indebtedness outstanding under any of the facilities may be accelerated by an Event of Default, as defined in the 2016 credit agreement.

The Facilities are secured by a pledge by the Company of its stock in its subsidiaries, a guarantee by the Company’s subsidiaries other than Shenandoah Telephone Company, and a security interest in substantially all of the assets of the Company and the guarantors.

approximately 21 thousand Sprint customers.
The Company is subject to certain financial covenants to be measuredand Sprint closed on a trailing twelve month basis each calendar quarter unless otherwise specified.  These covenants include:

a limitationthis transaction on the Company’s total leverage ratio, defined as indebtedness divided by earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, or EBITDA, of less than or equal to 3.75 to 1.00 from the closing date through December 30, 2018, then 3.25 to 1.00 through December 30, 2019, and 3.00 to 1.00 thereafter;
a minimum debt service coverage ratio, defined as EBITDA minus certain cash taxes divided by the sum of all scheduled principal payments on the Term Loans and scheduled principal payments on other indebtedness plus cash interest expense, greater than 2.00 to 1.00;
the Company must maintain a minimum liquidity balance, defined as availability under the revolver facility plus unrestricted cash and cash equivalents on deposit in a deposit account for which a control agreement has been delivered to the administrative agent under the 2016 credit agreement, of greater than $25 million at all times.

These ratios are generally less restrictive than the covenant ratios the Company had been required to comply with under its previously existing debt arrangements.  As of September 30, 2016, the Company was in compliance with the covenants in the 2016 credit agreement.

Future maturities of long-term debt principal are as follows (in thousands):

Remainder of 2016$6,062
201736,375
201868,500
201988,500
2020100,625
Thereafter528,875
Total$828,937

April 6, 2017.
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15.Pension Plan and Other Postretirement Benefits

The Company assumed, through its acquisition of nTelos, a qualified pension plan and other postretirement benefit plans. The following tables provide the benefit obligations, fair value of assets and a statement of the funded status as of the acquisition date (in thousands):

   Defined Benefit Pension Plan 
Other Postretirement
Benefit Plans
Benefit obligations, at acquisition $37,443
 $4,568
Fair value of plan assets, at acquisition 22,813
 
Funded status:    
Total liability, at acquisition (14,630) (4,568)
Net pension income (expense) since acquisition date 39
 (79)
Total liability as of September 30, 2016 $(14,591) $(4,647)

The accumulated benefit obligation for the defined benefit pension plan at May 6, 2016 was $37.4 million. The accumulated benefit obligation represents the present value of pension benefits based on service and salary earned to date.  The defined benefit plan was frozen for future benefit accruals as of December 31, 2012. Accordingly, the accumulated benefit obligation is equal to the projected benefit obligation.

The following table provides the components of net periodic benefit cost (income) for the plans for the period from acquisition date to December 31, 2016 (in thousands):

  
Defined Benefit
Pension Plan
 
Other Postretirement
Benefit Plans
Components of net periodic benefit cost (income):    
Service cost $
 $18
Interest cost 956
 108
Expected return on plan assets (1,018) 
Net periodic cost (income) $(62) $126


The assumptions used in the measurements of the Company’s benefit obligations at May 6, 2016 for the plans are shown in the following table:

  
Defined
Benefit
Pension Plan
 
Other
Postretirement
Benefit Plans
Discount rate 3.85% 3.85%

The assumptions used in the measurements of the Company’s net periodic benefit cost (income) for the consolidated statement of operations for the period from acquisition date through December 31, 2016 are:

  
Defined Benefit
Pension Plan
 
Other
Postretirement
Benefit Plans
Discount rate 3.85% 3.85%
Expected return on plan assets 6.75% %

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The Company reviews the assumptions noted in the above tables annually or more frequently to reflect anticipated future changes in the underlying economic factors used to determine these assumptions. The discount rates assumed reflect the rate at which the Company could invest in high quality corporate bonds in order to settle future obligations.
The Company uses updated mortality tables published by the Society of Actuaries that predict increasing life expectancies in the United States.

For measurement purposes, an 8.0% annual rate of increase in the per capita cost of covered health care benefits was assumed for 2016 for the obligation as of the acquisition date. The rate was assumed to decrease one-half percent per year to a rate of 5.0% for 2022 and remain at that level thereafter.

Assumed health care cost trend rates may have a significant effect on the amounts reported for the health care plans. The effect of a 1% change on the medical trend rate per future year, while holding all other assumptions constant, to the service and interest cost components of net periodic postretirement health care benefit costs and accumulated postretirement benefit obligation would be a $0.1 million increase and a $0.6 million increase, respectively, for a 1% increase in medical trend rate and a $0.1 million decrease and a $0.5 million decrease, respectively, for a 1% decrease in medical trend rate.

In developing the expected long-term rate of return assumption for the assets of the Defined Benefit Pension Plan, the Company evaluated input from its third-party pension plan administrator, including its review of asset class return expectations and long-term inflation assumptions.

The average actual asset allocations by asset category and the fair value by asset category as of May 6, 2016 were as follows (in thousands):

Asset Category Actual Allocation Fair Value
Large Cap Value 32% $7,244
Mid Cap Blend 9% 2,026
Small Cap Blend 5% 1,151
Foreign Stock – Large Cap 30% 6,867
Bond 20% 4,611
Cash and cash equivalents 4% 914
Total 100% $22,813

The actual and target allocation for plan assets is broadly defined and measured as follows:

Asset Category 
Actual
Allocation
 
Target
Allocation
Equity securities 76% 65-75
Bond securities and cash equivalents 24% 25-35
Total 100% 100%

It is the Company’s policy to invest pension plan assets in a diversified portfolio consisting of an array of asset classes. The investment risk of the assets is limited by appropriate diversification both within and between asset classes. The assets are primarily invested in investment funds that invest in a broad mix of publicly traded equities, bonds and cash equivalents (and fair value is based on quoted market prices (“Level 1” input)). The allocation between equity and bonds is reset quarterly to the target allocations. Updates to the allocation are considered in the normal course and changes may be made when appropriate. The bond holdings consist of two bond funds split relatively evenly between these funds at May 6, 2016. The maximum holdings of any one asset within these funds is under 4% of this fund and thus is well under 1% of the total portfolio. At May 6, 2016, the Company believes that there are no material concentrations of risk within the portfolio of plan assets.

The assumed long-term return noted above is the target long-term return. Overall return, risk adjusted return, and management fees are assessed against a peer group and benchmark indices. There are minimum performance standards that must be attained within the investment portfolio. Reporting on asset performance is provided quarterly and review meetings are held semi-
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annually. In addition to normal rebalancing to maintain an adequate cash reserve, projected cash flow needs of the plan are reviewed at least annually to ensure liquidity is properly managed.

The Company does not expect to contribute to the pension plan in 2016. The Company expects the net periodic benefit income for the defined benefit pension plan in 2016 to be $0.1 million and expects the periodic benefit cost for the other postretirement benefit plans in 2016 to be $0.1 million.

The following estimated future pension benefit payments and other postretirement benefit plan payments which reflect expected future service, as appropriate, are expected to be paid in the years indicated (in thousands):

  
Defined
Benefit
Pension
Plan
 
Other
Postretirement
Benefit Plans
Remainder of 2016 $186
 $48
2017 700
 136
2018 720
 131
2019 768
 134
2020 868
 142
Aggregate of next five years 6,219
 977

Note 16. Lease Commitments

The Company leases land, buildings and tower space under various non-cancelable agreements, which expire between the years 2016 and 2051 and require various minimum annual rental payments. These leases typically include renewal options and escalation clauses. In general, tower leases have five or ten year initial terms with four renewal terms of five years each. The other leases generally contain certain renewal options for periods ranging from five to twenty years.

Future minimum lease payments under non-cancelable operating leases, including renewals that are reasonably assured at the inception of the lease, with initial variable lease terms in excess of one year as of September 30, 2016, are as follows
(in thousands):

Remainder of 2016$12,229
201748,512
201848,135
201947,217
202046,130
202145,950
Thereafter237,024
 $485,197

The Company’s total rent expense was $28.6 million and $12.7 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. The increase during the year resulted from leases assumed in the acquisition of nTelos.

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As lessor, the Company has leased buildings, tower space and telecommunications equipment to other entities under various non-cancelable agreements, which require various minimum annual payments. The total minimum rental receipts at September 30, 2016 are as follows (in thousands):

Remainder of 2016$1,532
20175,643
20185,235
20194,924
20204,241
20212,255
Thereafter2,872
 $26,702

The Company’s total rent income was $5.3 million and $4.7 million during the nine months ended September 30, 2016 and 2015, respectively. Total rent income includes month-to-month leases which are excluded from the table above.

17. Subsequent Events

On October 17, 2016, the Company’s Board of Directors approved a dividend of $0.25 per common share to be paid December 1, 2016 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on November 4, 2016. Before dividend reinvestments, the total payout is expected to be approximately $12.2 million.

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ITEM 2.MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

This management’s discussion and analysis includes “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  When used in this report, the words “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan” and similar expressions as they relate to Shenandoah Telecommunications Company or its management are intended to identify these forward-looking statements.  All statements regarding Shenandoah Telecommunications Company’s expected future financial position and operating results, business strategy, financing plans, forecasted trends relating to the markets in which Shenandoah Telecommunications Company operates and similar matters are forward-looking statements.  We cannot assure you that the Company’s expectations expressed or implied in these forward-looking statements will turn out to be correct.  The Company’s actual results could be materially different from its expectations because of various factors, including those discussed below and under the caption “Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2015.2016.  The following management’s discussion and analysis should be read in conjunction with the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for its fiscal year ended December 31, 2015,2016, including the financial statements and related notes included therein.

General

Overview.Overview: Shenandoah Telecommunications Company is a diversified telecommunications company providing both regulated and unregulated telecommunications services through its wholly owned subsidiaries.  These subsidiaries provide wireless personal communications services (as a Sprint PCS affiliate), local exchange telephone services, video, internet and data services, long distance services, fiber optics facilities, and leased tower facilities. We have three reportable segments, which we operate and manage as strategic business units organized by lines of business: (1) Wireless, (2) Cable, and (3) Wireline.

*The Wireless segment has historically provided digital wireless service as a Sprint PCS Affiliate to a portion of a four-state area covering the region from Harrisburg, York and Altoona, Pennsylvania, to Harrisonburg, Virginia.  Following the acquisition of nTelos on May 6, 2016, the Company’s wireless service area expanded to include south-central and western Virginia, West Virginia, and small portions of Kentucky and Ohio.  In these areas, we are the exclusive provider of Sprint-branded wireless mobility communications network products and services on the 800 MHz, 1900 MHz and 2.5 GHz bands.  This segment also owns cell site towers built on leased land, and leases space on these towers to both affiliates and non-affiliated service providers.
*The Cable segment provides video, internet and voice services in franchise areas in portions of Virginia, West Virginia and western Maryland, and leases fiber optic facilities throughout its service area. It does not include video, internet and voice services provided to customers in Shenandoah County, Virginia.
*The Wireline segment provides regulated and unregulated voice services, DSL internet access, and long distance access services throughout Shenandoah County and portions of Rockingham, Frederick, Warren and Augusta counties, Virginia. The segment also provides video and cable modem internet access services in portions of Shenandoah County, and leases fiber optic facilities throughout the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, northern Virginia and adjacent areas along the Interstate 81 corridor through West Virginia, Maryland and portions of central and southern Pennsylvania.

A fourth segment, Other, primarily includes Shenandoah Telecommunications Company, the parent holding company, and includes corporate costs of executive management, information technology, legal, finance, and human resources. This segment also includes certain acquisition and integration costs primarily consisting of severance accruals for short-term nTelos employees to be separated as integration activities wind down and transaction related expenses such as investment advisor, legal and other professional fees.

Acquisition of nTelos and Exchange with Sprint: On May 6, 2016, we completed our previously announced acquisition of NTELOS Holdings Corp. (“nTelos”) for $665.4$667.8 million, in cash, net of cash acquired.  The purchase price was financed by a credit facility arranged by CoBank, ACB.  We have included the operations of nTelos for financial reporting purposes for periods subsequent to the acquisition.

Immediately after acquiring nTelos, we exchanged spectrum licenses valued at $198.2 million and customer based contract rights, valued at $203.4 million, acquired from nTelos with Sprint, and received an expansion of our affiliate service territory to include most of the service area served by nTelos, valued at $287.8 million, as well as additional customer based contract rights, valued at $113.8 million, relating to nTelos’ and Sprint’s legacy customers in the our affiliate service territory. The value of the affiliate agreement expansion is based on changes to the amended affiliate agreement that include an increase in the price to be paid by Sprint from 80% to 90% of the entire business value of PCS if the affiliate agreement is not renewed and an
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extension of the affiliate agreement with Sprint by five years to 2029. Also included in the value is the expanded territory in the nTelos service area and the accompanying right to serve all future Sprint customers in the expanded territory, our commitment to upgrade certain coverage and capacity in the newly acquired service area, the waiver of a portion of the management fee charged by Sprint, as well as other items defined in the amended affiliate agreement.

The Company expects to incur a total of between $106.0 million and $126.0approximately $23 million of integration and acquisition expenses associated with this transaction excluding approximately $24.0in 2017, in addition to the $54.7 million of debt issuance costs. In connection with the acquisition, The Company also chose to proactively migrate former nTelos customers to devices that can interact with the Sprint billing and network systems.  Expectedsuch costs also include the nTelos back office staff and support functions until the nTelos legacy customers are migrated to the Sprint billing platform; cost of the handsets to be provided to nTelos legacy customers as they migrate to the Sprint billing platform; severance costs for back office and other former nTelos employees who will not be retained permanently; and transaction related fees.incurred during 2016.  We have incurred $20.2 million and $43.9$7.1 million of these costs in the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2016, respectively.March 31, 2017. These costs include $0.7$0.1 million reflected in cost of goods and services and $4.2$2.5 million reflected in selling, general and administrative costs in the three month period ended September 30, 2016, and $1.0 million reflected in cost of goods and services and $7.1 million reflected in selling, general and administrative costs in the nine month period ended September 30, 2016.

Critical Accounting Policies And Estimates

March 31, 2017. In connection with the nTelos acquisition and exchange transaction with Sprint, we have added the following critical accounting policies:

Revenue Recognition: Under our amended affiliate agreement, Sprint agreed to waive the management fee, which is historically presented as a contra-revenue by us, for a period of approximately six years.  The impact of Sprint’s waiver of the management fee over the approximate six-year period is reflected as an increase in revenue, offset by the non-cash adjustment to recognize this impact on a straight-line basis over the contract term of approximately 14 years.

Goodwill: Goodwill is not amortized but is tested for impairment on at least an annual basis. Impairment testing is required more often than annually if an event or circumstance indicates that impairment is more likely than not to have occurred. In conducting our annual impairment testing, we may first perform a qualitative assessment of whether it is more likely than not that a reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying amount. If not, no further goodwill impairment testing is required. If it is more likely than not that a reporting unit’s fair value is less than its carrying amount, or if we elect not to perform a qualitative assessment of a reporting unit, we then compare the fair value of the reporting unitaddition to the related net book value. If the net book valueapproximately $78 million of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value, an impairment loss is measuredincurred and recognized. We conduct our annual impairment testing as of October 1.

Pension Benefits and Retirement Benefits Other Than Pensions: Through our acquisition of nTelos, we assumed nTelos’ non-contributory defined benefit pension plan (“Pension Plan”) covering all employees who met eligibility requirements and were employed by nTelos prior to October 1, 2003. The Pension Plan was closed to nTelos employees hired on or after October 1, 2003. Pension benefits vest after five years of plan service and are based on years of service and an average of the five highest consecutive years of compensation subject to certain reductions if the employee retires before reaching age 65 and elects to receive the benefit prior to age 65. Effective December 31, 2012, nTelos froze future benefit accruals.  We use updated mortality tables published by the Society of Actuaries that predict increasing life expectancies in the United States.

IRC Sections 412 and 430 and Sections 302 and 303 of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended establish minimum funding requirements for defined benefit pension plans. The minimum required contribution is generally equal to the target normal cost plus the shortfall amortization installments for the current plan year and each of the six preceding plan years less any calculated credit balance. If plan assets (less calculated credits) are equal to or exceed the funding target, the minimum required contribution is the target normal cost reduced by the excess funding, but not below zero. Our policy is to make contributions to stay at orexpected expenses described above, the threshold required in order to prevent benefit restrictions and related additional notice requirements and is intended to provide not only for benefits based on service to date, butCompany also for those expected to be earned in the future. We also assumed two qualified nonpension postretirement benefit plans that provide certain health care and life benefits for nTelos retired employees that meet eligibility requirements. The health care plan is contributory, with participants’ contributions adjusted annually. The life insurance plan also is contributory. These obligations, along with all of the pension plans and other postretirement benefit plans, are obligations assumed by us. Eligibility for the life insurance plan is restricted to active pension participants age 50-64 as of January 5, 1994. Neither plan is eligible to employees hired after April 1993. The accounting for the plans anticipates that we will maintain a consistent level of cost sharing for the benefits with the retirees. Our share of the projected costs of benefits that will be paid after retirement is generally being accrued by charges to expense over the eligible employees’ service periods to the dates they are fully eligible for benefits.incurred
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We record annual amountsapproximately $23 million of debt issuance costs in 2015 and 2016 relating to the Pension Plan and postretirement benefit plans based on calculations that incorporate various actuarial and other assumptions, including discount rates, mortality, assumed ratesthis transaction, for a total expected cost of return, turnover rates and healthcare cost trend rates. We review our assumptions on an annual basis and make modifications to the assumptions based on current rates and trend when it is appropriate to do so. The effect of modifications to those assumptions is recorded in accumulated other comprenhensive income (loss) and amortized to net periodic cost over future periods using the corridor method.
$101 million.
Results of Operations

Three Months Ended September 30, 2016March 31, 2017 Compared with the Three Months Ended September 30, 2015March 31, 2016

Our consolidated results for the thirdfirst quarter of 20162017 and 20152016 are summarized as follows:

 Three Months Ended
September 30,
 Change Three Months Ended
March 31,
 Change
(in thousands) 2016 2015 $ % 2017 2016 $ %
Operating revenues $156,836
 $85,212
 $71,624
 84.1
 $153,880
 $92,571
 $61,309
 66.2
Operating expenses 160,765
 70,123
 90,642
 129.3
 143,207
 71,259
 71,948
 101.0
Operating income (loss) (3,929) 15,089
 (19,018) (126.0)
Operating income 10,673
 21,312
 (10,639) (49.9)
                
Interest expense (8,845) (1,808) (7,037) 389.2
 (9,100) (1,619) (7,481) 462.1
Other income, net 1,527
 180
 1,347
 748.3
 1,375
 556
 819
 147.3
Income (loss) before taxes (11,247) 13,461
 (24,708) (183.6)
Income tax expense (benefit) (3,651) 5,465
 (9,116) NM
Net income (loss) $(7,596) $7,996
 $(15,592) (195.0)
Income before taxes 2,948
 20,249
 (17,301) (85.4)
Income tax expense 607
 6,368
 (5,761) (90.5)
Net income $2,341
 $13,881
 $(11,540) (83.1)

Operating revenues

For the three months ended September 30, 2016,March 31, 2017, operating revenues increased $71.6$61.3 million, or 84.1%66.2%. Wireless segment revenues increased $68.5$58.9 million compared to the thirdfirst quarter of 2015;2016; nearly all of this increase was a result of the acquisition of nTelos on May 6, 2016. Cable segment revenues grew $3.1$2.6 million primarily as a result of 6.8%2.2% growth in average subscriber counts and an increase in revenue per subscriber.  Wireline segment revenues increased $0.3$0.8 million, primarily due to increases in fiber sales.

Operating expenses

Total operating expenses were $160.8$143.2 million in the thirdfirst quarter of 20162017 compared to $70.1$71.3 million in the prior year period.  Operating expenses in the thirdfirst quarter of 20162017 included $15.3$4.5 million of integration and acquisition costs associated with the nTelos acquisition, including $14.5$3.8 million on the Wireless segment and $0.8$0.7 million in the Other segment.  Selling, general and administrative expenses and cost of goods and services in the Wireless segment included an additional $4.9$2.6 million of nTelos-related customer care and other back office costs related to supporting the nTelos legacy customers until the migration of these customers is completed. Wireless segment operating expenses increased $71.9$63.3 million (excluding the $19.4$6.4 million of customer care, integration and acquisition expenses described above), primarily due to on-going costs associated with the acquired nTelos operations including $28.4$27.3 million of incremental depreciation and amortization expenses.  All other operating expenses decreased $1.4increased $2.2 million, net of eliminations of intersegment activities.

Acquisition and integration costs on the Other segment primarily consisted of transaction related expenses such as legal and other professional fees.  On the Wireless segment, such costs included handsets provided to nTelos subscribers who needed a new phone to transition to the Sprint billing platform, costs associated with terminating duplicative cell sitessite leases and backhaul circuits, and personnel costs associated with short-term nTelos employees required to migrate the former nTelos customers to the Sprint back-office.

Interest expense

Interest expense has increased primarily as a result of the incremental borrowings associated with closing the nTelos acquisition and the effect of two interest rate increases implemented by the Federal Reserve in late 2016 and early 2017. The impact of the interest rate increases has been offset by a swap that covers 50% of the outstanding principal under the new debt. Other changes include increased debt cost amortization reflecting the incremental costs of entering into the new debt, partially offset by increased capitalization of interest to capital projects.

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Income tax expense (benefit)

OurThe Company's actual effective income tax rate decreased from 40.6%31.4% for the three months ended September 30, 2015March 31, 2016 to 32.5%20.6% for the three months ended September 30, 2016.  This decreaseMarch 31, 2017.  The difference for both periods between the actual effective income tax rate and the statutory income tax rate results primarily resulted from stateexcess tax effectsdeductions on share grant vestings and certain stock option exercises, which are recognized as incurred. The Company recognized $1.7 million in excess deductions in the 2016three months ended March 2017 compared to $4.5 million in excess deductions in the same period resulting from recognizingof 2016; however, the March 31, 2017 excess deductions represented a larger share of pre-tax income, reducing the effective rate more in higher tax states and losses in lower tax states as a result of the nTelos acquisition.three months ended March 31, 2017 than the three months ended March 31, 2016.

Net income (loss)

For the three months ended September 30, 2016,March 31, 2017, net income decreased $15.6$11.5 million, or 195.0%,83.1% over March 31, 2016, primarily reflecting acquisition and integration costs incurred, increased depreciation and amortization, straight-lining of certain Sprint fee credits, and higher interest on the increased balance of outstanding debt as a result of the nTelos acquisition, net of taxes.

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 Compared with the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2015

The Company’s consolidated results for the first nine months of 2016 and 2015 are summarized as follows:

  Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 Change
(in thousands) 2016 2015 $ %
Operating revenues $379,716
 $255,202
 $124,514
 48.8
Operating expenses 369,379
 202,837
 166,542
 82.1
Operating income 10,337
 52,365
 (42,028) (80.3)
Interest expense (16,369) (5,663) (10,706) 189.1
Other income, net 3,147
 1,253
 1,894
 151.2
Income (loss) before taxes (2,885) 47,955
 (50,840) (106.0)
Income tax expense (benefit) (2,174) 19,199
 (21,373) (111.3)
Net income (loss) $(711) $28,756
 $(29,467) (102.5)

Operating revenues

For the nine months ended September 30, 2016, operating revenues increased $124.5 million, or 48.8%. Wireless segment revenues increased $114.1 million compared to the first nine months of 2015. The new revenues associated with the nTelos customers and the Sprint customers in the nTelos footprint accounted for most of this increase.  Cable segment revenues grew $8.5 million primarily as a result of 6.6% growth in average subscriber counts and an increase in revenue per subscriber, while revenues from fiber contracts increased $0.7 million.  Wireline segment revenues increased $3.2 million, primarily due to increases in fiber sales.

Operating expenses

Total operating expenses increased $166.5 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2016 compared to the prior year period.  Operating expenses in the nine months ended September 30, 2016 included $35.8 million of integration and acquisition costs associated with the nTelos acquisition, including $19.9 million on the Wireless segment and $15.9 million in the Other segment.  Selling, general and administrative expenses and cost of goods and services in the Wireless segment included an additional $8.1 million of nTelos-related customer care and other back office costs related to supporting the nTelos legacy customers until the migration of these customers is completed. Wireless segment operating expenses increased $121.3 million (excluding the $28.0 million of customer care, integration and acquisition expenses described above), primarily due to on-going costs associated with the acquired nTelos operations and $43.9 million of incremental depreciation associated with the related acquired assets.  All other operating expenses increased $1.3 million, net of eliminations of intersegment activities.

Acquisition and integration costs on the Other segment primarily consisted of severance accruals for short-term nTelos personnel to be separated as integration activities wind down, and transaction related expenses (such as investment advisor, legal and other professional fees).  On the Wireless segment, such costs included handsets provided to nTelos subscribers who needed a new phone to transition to the Sprint billing platform, personnel costs associated with short-term nTelos employees required to migrate the former nTelos customers to the Sprint back-office, and costs to shutdown duplicate cell site leases and backhaul circuits.
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Income tax expense (benefit)

Our effective tax rate increased from 40.0% for the nine months ended September 30, 2015 to 75.4% for the nine months ended September 30, 2016.  This increase resulted from discrete tax benefits resulting from the change in accounting for stock option exercises and share award distributions in the first nine months of 2016 in accordance with ASU 2016-09.  In prior year periods, such tax benefits were recorded directly to equity. Offsetting the effect of the discrete benefits included the impact of non-deductible expenses as well as the effect of state rate effects when income recognized in higher tax states is combined with losses in states with lower rates.

Net income (loss)

For the nine months ended September 30, 2016, net income decreased $29.5 million, or 102.5%, primarily reflecting acquisition and integration costs incurred, increased depreciation and amortization, straight-lining of certain Sprint fee credits, and higher interest on the expanded outstanding debt as a result of the nTelos acquisition, net of taxes.

Wireless

Our Wireless segment historically provided digital wireless service to a portion of a four-state area covering the region from Harrisburg, York and Altoona, Pennsylvania, to Harrisonburg, Virginia, through Shenandoah Personal Communications, LLC (“PCS”), a Sprint PCS Affiliate.  Following the recent acquisition of nTelos in May 2016, our wireless service territory expanded to include south-central and western Virginia, West Virginia, and small portions of Kentucky and Ohio.  Through Shenandoah Mobile, LLC (“Mobile”), this segment also leases land on which it builds Company-owned cell towers, which it leases to affiliates and non-affiliated wireless service providers, throughout the same four-statemulti-state area described above.

PCS receives revenues from Sprint for subscribers that obtain service in PCS’s network coverage area.  PCS relies on Sprint to provide timely, accurate and complete information to record the appropriate revenue for each financial period.  Postpaid revenues received from Sprint are recorded net of certain fees retained by Sprint.  Through December 31, 2015, these fees totaled 22% of postpaid net billed revenue (gross customer billings net of credits and adjustments to customer accounts, and write-offs of uncollectible accounts), as defined by the Affiliate Agreement with Sprint.  EffectiveSince January 1, 2016, the fees chargedretained by Sprint declined toare 16.6%, and certain revenue and expense items previously included in these fees became separately settled.

We also offer prepaid wireless products and services in our PCS network coverage area.  Sprint retains a Management Fee equal to 6% of prepaid customer billings.  Prepaid revenues received from Sprint are reported net of the cost of this fee.  Other fees charged on a per unit basis are separately recorded as expenses according to the nature of the expense.  We pay handset subsidies to Sprint for the difference between the selling price of prepaid handsets and their cost, recorded as a net cost in cost of goods sold.  The revenue and expense components reported to us by Sprint are based on Sprint’s national averages for prepaid services, rather than being specifically determined by customers assigned to our geographic service areas.

The following tables show selected operating statistics of the Wireless segment as of the dates shown:

   September 30,
2016
 
December 31,
2015
 September 30, 2015 
December 31,
2014
Retail PCS Subscribers – Postpaid 718,785
 312,512
 303,527
 287,867
Retail PCS Subscribers – Prepaid 275,446
 142,840
 145,104
 145,162
PCS Market POPS (000) (1) 5,536
 2,433
 2,421
 2,415
PCS Covered POPS (000) (1) 4,715
 2,224
 2,213
 2,207
CDMA Base Stations (sites) 1,425
 552
 548
 537
Towers Owned 181
 158
 154
 154
Non-affiliate Cell Site Leases 186
 202
 203
 198
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   March 31,
2017
 
December 31,
2016
 March 31, 2016 
December 31,
2015
Retail PCS Subscribers – Postpaid 717,150
 722,562
 315,231
 312,512
Retail PCS Subscribers – Prepaid 243,557
 236,138
 142,539
 142,840
PCS Market POPS (000) (1) 5,536
 5,536
 2,437
 2,433
PCS Covered POPS (000) (1) 4,836
 4,807
 2,230
 2,224
CDMA Base Stations (sites) 1,476
 1,467
 556
 552
Towers Owned 196
 196
 157
 158
Non-affiliate Cell Site Leases 206
 202
 202
 202

The changes from March 31, 2016 to December 31, 2015 to September 30, 2016 shown above include the following amounts acquired ineffects of the nTelos acquisition and the exchange with Sprint on May 6, 2016:2016.

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Acquired PCS Subscribers – Postpaid404,444
Acquired PCS Subscribers – Prepaid154,944
Acquired PCS Market POPS (000) (1)3,099
Acquired PCS Covered POPS (000) (1)2,298
Acquired CDMA Base Stations (sites) (2)868
Towers20
Non-affiliate Cell Site Leases10

 Three Months Ended
September 30,
 Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
 2016 2015 2016 2015 2017 2016 
Gross PCS Subscriber Additions – Postpaid 41,563
 19,638
 85,104
 54,477
 38,701
 17,356
 
Net PCS Subscriber Additions – Postpaid 1,222
 7,035
 1,829
 15,660
Net PCS Subscriber Additions (Losses) – Postpaid (5,412) 2,719
 
Gross PCS Subscriber Additions – Prepaid 35,202
 20,228
 83,786
 63,806
 42,168
 21,231
 
Net PCS Subscriber Losses – Prepaid (13,865) (327) (22,338) (58)
Net PCS Subscriber Additions (Losses) – Prepaid 7,419
 (301) 
PCS Average Monthly Retail Churn % - Postpaid (3)(2) 2.01% 1.40% 1.71% 1.47% 2.05% 1.56% 
PCS Average Monthly Retail Churn % - Prepaid (3)(2) 5.43% 4.72% 5.06% 4.85% 4.86% 5.05% 

1)POPS refers to the estimated population of a given geographic area and is based on information purchased from third party sources.  Market POPS are those within a market area which we are authorized to serve under our Sprint PCS affiliate agreements, and Covered POPS are those covered by our network.
2)Net of approximately 160 overlap cell sites we intend to shut down in coming months.
3)PCS Average Monthly Retail Churn is the average of the monthly subscriber turnover, or churn, calculations for the period.

During the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016, 2,880 and 4,410 former nTelos prepaid subscribers, respectively, switched to postpaid subscribers as they migrated to the Sprint back-office platforms.

Three Months Ended September 30, 2016March 31, 2017 Compared with the Three Months Ended September 30, 2015March 31, 2016

(in thousands)
 Three Months Ended
September 30,
 Change Three Months Ended
March 31,
 Change
 2016 2015 $ % 2017 2016 $ %
Segment operating revenues        
        
Wireless service revenue $111,001
 $47,793
 $63,208
 132.3
 $108,186
 $52,179
 $56,007
 107.3
Tower lease revenue 2,909
 2,610
 299
 11.5
 2,882
 2,750
 132
 4.8
Equipment revenue 3,539
 1,104
 2,435
 220.6
 3,145
 1,454
 1,691
 116.3
Other revenue 2,670
 129
 2,541
 NA
 1,250
 135
 1,115
 NM
Total segment operating revenues 120,119
 51,636
 68,483
 132.6
 115,463
 56,518
 58,945
 104.3
Segment operating expenses  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Cost of goods and services, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 43,097
 15,572
 27,525
 176.8
 38,318
 16,578
 21,740
 131.1
Selling, general and administrative, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 29,892
 9,027
 20,865
 231.1
 28,464
 11,514
 16,950
 147.2
Integration and acquisition expenses 14,499
 
 14,499
 NM
 3,792
 
 3,792
 NM
Depreciation and amortization 38,038
 9,644
 28,394
 294.4
 35,752
 8,494
 27,258
 320.9
Total segment operating expenses 125,526
 34,243
 91,283
 266.6
 106,326
 36,586
 69,740
 190.6
Segment operating income (loss) $(5,407) $17,393
 $(22,800) (131.1)
Segment operating income $9,137
 $19,932
 $(10,795) (54.2)

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Service Revenues

Wireless service revenue increased $63.2$56.0 million, or 132.3%107.3%, for the three months ended September 30, 2016,March 31, 2017, compared to the comparable 2015March 31, 2016, period. See table below.

(in thousands)
 Three Months Ended
September 30,
 Change Three Months Ended
March 31,
 Change
Service Revenues 2016 2015 $ % 2017 2016 $ %
Postpaid net billings (1)
 $97,470
 $45,864
 $51,606
 112.5
 $92,989
 $45,638
 $47,351
 103.8
Sprint fees      
  
      
  
Management fee (7,919) (3,687) (4,232) 114.8
 (7,383) (3,651) (3,732) 102.2
Net Service fee (6,745) (6,453) (292) 4.5
Net service fee (7,200) (3,934) (3,266) 83.0
Waiver of management fee 7,996
 
 7,996
 NM
 7,383
 
 7,383
 NM
 (6,668) (10,140) 3,472
 (34.2) (7,200) (7,585) 385
 (5.1)
Prepaid net billings  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Gross billings 25,156
 12,760
 12,396
 97.1
 25,945
 13,083
 12,862
 98.3
Sprint management fee (1,521) (766) (755) NM
 (1,557) (785) (772) 98.3
Waiver of management fee 1,521
 
 1,521
 NM
 1,557
 
 1,557
 NM
 25,156
 11,994
 13,162
 109.7
 25,945
 12,298
 13,647
 111.0
Travel and other revenues 5,276
 75
 5,201
 NM
 5,636
 1,828
 3,808
 208.3
Accounting adjustments      
  
      
  
Amortization of expanded affiliate agreement (5,593) 
 (5,593) NM
 (4,978) 
 (4,978) NM
Straight-line adjustment - management fee waiver (4,640) 
 (4,640) NM
 (4,206) 
 (4,206) NM
 (10,233) 
 (10,233) NM
 (9,184) 
 (9,184) NM
Total Service Revenues $111,001
 $47,793
 $63,208
 132.3
 $108,186
 $52,179
 $56,007
 107.3

(1) Postpaid net billings are defined under the terms of the affiliate contract with Sprint to be the gross billings to customers within our service territory less billing credits and adjustments and allocated write-offs of uncollectible accounts.

Operating revenues

The changes in Wireless segment service revenues shown in the table above are almost exclusively a result of the nTelos acquisition and other changesin May 2016. Postpaid subscribers have increased by 402 thousand from March 31, 2016 to March 31, 2017 with 387 thousand of them in the former nTelos service area as of March 31, 2017. Prepaid subscribers have increased by 101 thousand over the same time period. There were 110 thousand prepaid subscribers in the former nTelos service area as of March 31, 2017.

In addition to the postpaid customer gross additions and churn, outlined in the tables above, resulted in an increase of $51.6 million or 112.5% in postpaid net billings.  Effective January 1, 2016, the fees retained by Sprint, and deducted from postpaid revenues, decreased from 22% to 16.6% and they agreed to settle certain revenue and expense items separately. As a result, Sprint fees (in particular, the net service fee) dropped by $5.3 million or 43.8% compared to what it would have been had the fee not been reduced. Travel and other revenues, which are now settled separately, grew by $5.2 million.  Prepaid net billings grew by $13.2 million or 109.7%subscribers acquired as a result of the growth in the customer base related to the nTelos acquisition, and other changes in gross additions and churn outlined in the tables above.

Wewe recorded an asset related to the changes to the Sprint affiliate agreement, as describedincluding the right to serve new subscribers in the nTelos acquisition footnote above.footprint, as previously described.  That asset is being amortized through the expiration of the current initial term of that contract in 2029 and, as a result, we recorded $5.6$5.0 million in amortization in the thirdfirst quarter of 2016.2017.   Sprint agreed to waive certain management fees that they would otherwise be entitled to under the affiliate agreement as a result ofin exchange for our commitment to buy nTelos, upgrade its network and support the former nTelos and Sprint customers.  The fees waived will beare being recognized on a straight linestraight-line basis over the remainder of the initial term of the contract through 2029 and, as a result, we recorded an adjustment of $4.6$4.2 million in the thirdfirst quarter of 2016.2017.

Other operating revenues

The increases in equipment revenue and other revenue also resulted primarily from the nTelos acquisition, with the increase in other revenue primarily representing regulatory recovery revenues recognized by nTelos, whereas historically Sprint has recognized such revenues billedrelated to billings to customers inbefore migration to the Sprint billing system, whereas Sprint retains the billing and related expenses and liabilities under our service area.affiliate agreement.

Index

Cost of goods and services

Cost of goods and services increased $27.5$21.7 million, or 176.8%131.1%, in 20162017 from the thirdfirst quarter of 2015.2016. The increase results primarily from the growth in device subsidies of $2.1 million, new national handsets settled separately under the affiliate agreement of $1.1 million, increases in cell site rent, power, maintenance and backhaul costcosts for the incremental 868 cell sites in the nTelos territory of $14.1$19.3 million, as well as the related growth in the cost of network technicians to service and maintain these sites of $2.3$1.1 million.   Cost of goods and services also included $0.7$0.1 million of costs to support nTelos legacy billing operations until customers migrate to Sprint’s back-officeback office systems.

Selling, general and administrative

Selling, general and administrative costs increased $20.9$16.9 million, or 231.1%147.2%, in the thirdfirst quarter of 20162017 from the comparable 2015 period.  This increase included $5.52016 period, again primarily due to the acquisition of nTelos in May 2016.  Increases include $3.2 million of incremental separately settled national channel commissions; $5.7commissions, $4.7 million from the operating costs ofrelated to incremental stores acquired as a result of the nTelos acquisition; $1.0acquisition, $0.9 million in incremental sales and marketing efforts to communicate with the new customers and begin efforts to migrate the remaining nTelos legacy customers over to the Sprint platforms;platforms, and $2.3$1.3 million in other administrative costs related to the acquired operations. Costs associated with prepaid wireless offerings increased $0.9$4.3 million.  Selling, general and administrative costs also included $4.3$2.5 million of costs to support nTelos legacy billing operations until customers migrate to Sprint’s back-officeback office systems.

Integration and acquisition

Integration and acquisition expenses of $14.5$3.8 million in the thirdfirst quarter of 20162017 include approximately $9.9$3.7 million for replacement handsets issued to former nTelos subscribers migrated to the Sprint billing platform $4.1and $0.7 million in other expenses, partially offset by $0.6 million in reductions of previously estimated costs to terminate duplicative cell site leases and backhaul contracts, and $0.5 million in other expenses.contracts.

Depreciation and amortization

Depreciation and amortization increased $28.4$27.3 million, or 294%321%, in the thirdfirst quarter of 20162017 over the comparable 20152016 period, due primarily to $22.2$20.0 million in incremental depreciation largely on the acquired fixed assets, and $5.1$6.7 million in amortization of customer based intangibles recorded in the acquisition. The $22.2 million depreciation included $4.6 million related to the second quarter of 2016 that resulted from depreciating additional assets and shortening the useful lives of other assets as a result of reviewing the preliminary asset valuation work. The $5.1 million of amortization expense included a reduction of $0.8 million relating to the second quarter of 2016 resulting from revisions to the initial valuation of these assets. Customer based intangibles are being amortized over accelerated lives.

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 Compared with the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2015

 
(in thousands)
 Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 Change
  2016 2015 $ %
Segment operating revenues        
Wireless service revenue $250,053
 $144,917
 $105,136
 72.5
Tower lease revenue 8,471
 7,772
 699
 9.0
Equipment revenue 7,771
 3,871
 3,900
 100.7
Other revenue 4,636
 287
 4,349
 NA
Total segment operating revenues 270,931
 156,847
 114,084
 72.7
Segment operating expenses  
  
  
  
Cost of goods and services, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 94,892
 47,661
 47,231
 99.1
Selling, general and administrative, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 65,219
 26,996
 38,223
 141.6
Integration and acquisition expenses 19,889
 
 19,889
 NM
Depreciation and amortization 70,026
 26,089
 43,937
 168.4
Total segment operating expenses 250,026
 100,746
 149,280
 148.2
Segment operating income $20,905
 $56,101
 $(35,196) (62.7)
Index


Service Revenues

Wireless service revenue increased $105.1 million, or 72.5%, for the nine months ended September 30, 2016, compared to the comparable 2015 period. See table below.

(in thousands)
 
 Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 Change
Service Revenues 2016 2015 $ %
Postpaid net billings $218,327
 $139,342
 $78,985
 56.7
Sprint fees      
  
Management fee (17,914) (11,124) (6,790) 61.0
Net Service fee (15,986) (19,468) 3,482
 (17.9)
Waiver of management fee 13,126
 
 13,126
 NM
  (20,774) (30,592) 9,818
 (32.1)
Prepaid net billings  
  
 

  
Gross billings 58,744
 38,255
 20,489
 53.6
Sprint management fee (3,524) (2,305) (1,219) NM
Waiver of management fee 2,486
 
 2,486
 NM
  57,706
 35,950
 21,756
 60.5
Travel and other revenues 11,364
 217
 11,147
 NM
Accounting adjustments      
  
Amortization of expanded affiliate agreement (8,883) 
 (8,883) NM
Straight-line adjustment - management fee waiver (7,687) 
 (7,687) NM
  (16,570) 
 (16,570) NM
Total Service Revenues $250,053
 $144,917
 $105,136
 72.5

Operating revenues

The nTelos acquisition and other changes to the postpaid customer gross additions and churn, outlined in the tables above, resulted in an increase of $79.0 million or 56.7% in postpaid net billings.  Effective January 1, 2016, the fees retained by Sprint, and deducted from postpaid revenues, decreased from 22% to 16.6% and they agreed to settle certain revenue and expense items separately. As a result, Sprint fees (in particular, the net service fee) dropped by $11.8 million or 42.4% relative to what it would have been had the rate not changed. Travel revenues, which are now settled separately, and other similarly settled items grew by $11.1 million.  Prepaid net billings grew by $21.8 million or 60.5% as a result of the growth in the customer base related to the nTelos acquisition and other changes in gross additions and churn outlined in the tables above.

We recorded an asset related to the changes to the Sprint affiliate agreement as described in the nTelos acquisition footnote above.  That asset is being amortized through the expiration of the initial term of that contract in 2029 and, as a result, we recorded $8.9 million in amortization in the nine months ended September 30, 2016. Sprint agreed to waive certain management fees that they would otherwise be entitled to under the affiliate agreement as a result of our commitment to buy nTelos, upgrade its network and support the former nTelos and Sprint customers.  The fees waived will be recognized on a straight line basis over the remainder of the initial term of the contract through 2029 and, as a result, we recorded an adjustment of $7.7 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2016.

Other operating revenues

The increases in equipment revenue and other revenue also resulted primarily from the nTelos acquisition, with the increase in other revenue primarily representing regulatory recovery revenues recognized by nTelos, whereas historically Sprint has recognized such revenues billed to customers in our service area.

Index

Cost of goods and services

Cost of goods and services increased $47.2 million, or 99.1%, in 2016 from the first nine months of 2015.  The increase results from the growth in prepaid device subsidies of $3.7 million, postpaid handset and accessory cost of goods growth of $1.8 million, new national handsets settled separately under the affiliate agreement of $4.2 million, increases in cell site rent and backhaul cost for incremental 868 cell sites in the nTelos territory of $27.1 million, as well as the related growth in the cost of network technicians and other costs to service and maintain these sites of $8.4 million.  Cost of goods and services also included $1.0 million of costs to support nTelos legacy billing operations until customers migrate to Sprint’s back-office systems.

Selling, general and administrative

Selling, general and administrative costs increased $38.2 million, or 141.6%, in the nine months ended September 30, 2016 from the comparable 2015 period.  This increase included $13.2 million of separately settled national channel commissions; $9.0 million from the operating costs of incremental stores acquired as a result of the nTelos acquisition; $2.1 million in incremental sales and marketing efforts to communicate with the new customers and begin efforts to migrate the nTelos legacy customers over to the Sprint platforms; and $4.0 million in other administrative costs related to the acquired operations. Costs associated with prepaid wireless offerings increased $2.4 million.  Selling, general and administrative costs also included $7.1 million of costs to support nTelos legacy billing operations until customers migrate to Sprint’s back-office systems.

Integration and acquisition

Integration and acquisition expenses of $19.9 million in the nine months ended September 30, 2016, include approximately $14.0 million for replacement handsets issued to former nTelos subscribers migrated to the Sprint billing platform, $4.1 million in costs to terminate duplicative cell site leases and backhaul circuits, and $1.8 million in other expenses.

Depreciation and amortization

Depreciation and amortization increased $43.9 million, or 168.4%, in the nine months ended September 30, 2016 over the comparable 2015 period, due primarily to $29.1 million in depreciation on the acquired fixed assets and $11.0 million in amortization of customer based intangibles recorded in the acquisition.  Customer based intangibles are being amortized over accelerated lives.



























Index


Cable

The Cable segment provides video, internet and voice services in franchise areas in portions of Virginia, West Virginia and western Maryland, and leases fiber optic facilities throughout its service area. It does not include video, internet and voice services provided to customers in Shenandoah County, Virginia, which are included in the Wireline segment.

On Increases in homes passed, available homes and video customers between December 31, 2015 and March 31, 2016, resulted from the Colane acquisition on January 1, 2016, we acquired the assets of Colane Cable Company. With the acquisition, we received 3,299 video customers, 1,405 high-speed internet customers, and 302 voice customers. These customers are included in the September 30, 2016 totals shown below.2016.

 September 30,
2016
 
December 31,
2015
 September 30, 2015 
December 31,
2014
 March 31,
2017
 
December 31,
2016
 March 31, 2016 
December 31,
2015
Homes Passed (1) 184,698
 172,538
 172,388
 171,589
 184,819
 184,710
 181,375
 172,538
Customer Relationships (2)    
    
        
Video customers 48,924
 48,184
 48,421
 49,247
 47,160
 48,512
 50,195
 48,184
Non-video customers 28,469
 24,550
 23,816
 22,051
 30,765
 28,854
 26,895
 24,550
Total customer relationships 77,393
 72,734
 72,237
 71,298
 77,925
 77,366
 77,090
 72,734
Video    
    
        
Customers (3) 51,379
 50,215
 50,839
 52,095
 49,384
 50,618
 52,468
 50,215
Penetration (4) 27.8% 29.1% 29.5% 30.4% 26.7% 27.4% 28.9% 29.1%
Digital video penetration (5) 76.3% 77.9% 75.2% 65.9% 77.1% 77.4% 74.8% 77.9%
High-speed Internet    
    
        
Available Homes (6) 183,814
 172,538
 172,388
 171,589
 183,935
 183,826
 180,814
 172,538
Customers (3) 59,852
 55,131
 53,960
 50,686
 61,815
 60,495
 58,273
 55,131
Penetration (4) 32.6% 32.0% 31.3% 29.5% 33.6% 32.9% 32.2% 32.0%
Voice    
    
        
Available Homes (6) 181,077
 169,801
 169,651
 168,852
 181,198
 181,089
 178,077
 169,801
Customers (3) 21,199
 20,166
 19,723
 18,262
 21,647
 21,352
 20,786
 20,166
Penetration (4) 11.7% 11.9% 11.6% 10.8% 11.9% 11.8% 11.7% 11.9%
Total Revenue Generating Units (7) 132,430
 125,512
 124,522
 121,043
 132,846
 132,465
 131,527
 125,512
Fiber Route Miles 3,124
 2,844
 2,842
 2,834
 3,233
 3,137
 2,955
 2,844
Total Fiber Miles (8) 84,945
 76,949
 75,021
 72,694
 100,799
 92,615
 80,727
 76,949
Average Revenue Generating Units 131,707
 124,054
 123,282
 117,744
 132,419
 131,218
 129,604
 124,054

1)Homes and businesses are considered passed (“homes passed”) if we can connect them to our distribution system without further extending the transmission lines.  Homes passed is an estimate based upon the best available information.
2)Customer relationships represent the number of customers who receive at least one of our services.
3)Generally, a dwelling or commercial unit with one or more television sets connected to our distribution system counts as one video customer.  Where services are provided on a bulk basis, such as to hotels and some multi-dwelling units, the revenue charged to the customer is divided by the rate for comparable service in the local market to determine the number of customer equivalents included in the customer counts shown above. During the first quarter of 2016, we modified the way we count subscribers when a commercial customer upgrades its internet service via a fiber contract. We retroactively applied the new count methodology to prior periods, and applied similar logic to certain bulk customers; the net result was reductions in internet subscriber counts of 559, 660 and 673 subscribers to December 31, 2015, September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014 totals, respectively.
4)Penetration is calculated by dividing the number of customers by the number of homes passed or available homes, as appropriate.
Index

5)Digital video penetration is calculated by dividing the number of digital video customers by total video customers.  Digital video customers are video customers who receive any level of video service via digital transmission.  A dwelling with one or more digital set-top boxes or digital adapters counts as one digital video customer.
6)Homes and businesses are considered available (“available homes”) if we can connect them to our distribution system without further extending the transmission lines and if we offer the service in that area.
7)Revenue generating units are the sum of video, voice and high-speed internet customers.
8)Fiber miles are measured by taking the number of fiber strands in a cable and multiplying that number by the route distance.  For example, a 10 mile route with 144 fiber strands would equal 1,440 fiber miles.

Index

Three Months Ended September 30, 2016March 31, 2017 Compared with the Three Months Ended September 30, 2015March 31, 2016

(in thousands) Three Months Ended
September 30,
 Change Three Months Ended
March 31,
 Change
 2016 2015 $ % 2017 2016 $ %
Segment operating revenues                  
Service revenue $24,948
 $22,284
 $2,664
 12.0
 $26,411
 $24,340
 $2,071
 8.5
Other revenue 2,618
 2,133
 485
 22.7
 2,602
 2,106
 496
 23.6
Total segment operating revenues 27,566
 24,417
 3,149
 12.9
 29,013
 26,446
 2,567
 9.7
Segment operating expenses  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Cost of goods and services, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 14,654
 14,124
 530
 3.8
 15,228
 14,647
 581
 4.0
Selling, general, and administrative, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 4,770
 4,948
 (178) (3.6) 4,858
 5,108
 (250) (4.9)
Depreciation and amortization 5,860
 5,948
 (88) (1.5) 5,788
 6,095
 (307) (5.0)
Total segment operating expenses 25,284
 25,020
 264
 1.1
 25,874
 25,850
 24
 0.1
Segment operating income (loss) $2,282
 $(603) $2,885
 (478.4)
Segment operating income $3,139
 $596
 $2,543
 426.7

Operating revenues

Cable segment service revenues increased $2.7$2.1 million, or 12.0%8.5%, due to a 6.8%2.2% increase in average revenue generating units, video rate increases in January 20162017 to offset increases in programming costs, and new and existing customers selecting higher-speed data (HSD) access packages and growth in the HSD and phone customers.packages.

Other revenue grew $0.5 million, primarily due to new fiber contracts to towers, schools and libraries.

Operating expenses

Cable segment cost of goods and services increased $0.5$0.6 million, or 3.8%4.0%, in the thirdfirst quarter of 20162017 over the comparable 20152016 period. Video programming costs, including retransmission fees, increased $0.3 million, due to a 1.5% increase in average RGU's and programming cost increases of 8% to 10% per affected channel.  The remainder of the increase resulted from higher network and maintenance costs.

Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased $0.2$0.3 million against the prior year quarter due to lower advertising costs, down $0.2 million.costs.






















Index

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 Compared with the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2015

(in thousands) Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 Change
  2016 2015 $ %
Segment operating revenues         
Service revenue $73,455
 $65,802
 $7,653
 11.6
Other revenue 6,958
 6,080
 878
 14.4
Total segment operating revenues 80,413
 71,882
 8,531
 11.9
         
Segment operating expenses  
  
  
  
Cost of goods and services, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 43,864
 41,378
 2,486
 6.0
Selling, general and administrative, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 14,672
 14,924
 (252) (1.7)
Depreciation and amortization 17,834
 17,286
 548
 3.2
Total segment operating expenses 76,370
 73,588
 2,782
 3.8
Segment operating income (loss) $4,043
 $(1,706) $5,749
 337.0

Operating revenues

Cable segment service revenues increased $7.7 million, or 11.6%, due to a 6.6% increase in average revenue generating units, video rate increases in January 2016 to offset increases in programming costs, new and existing customers selecting higher-speed data (HSD) access packages and growth in the HSD and phone customers.

Other revenue grew $0.9 million, primarily due to new fiber contracts to towers, schools and libraries.

Operating expenses

Cable segment cost of goods and services increased $2.5 million, or 6.0%, in the nine months ended September 30, 2016 over the comparable 2015 period. Video programming costs, including retransmission fees, increased $0.8 million, primarily due to programming cost increases of 8% to 10% per affected channel.  The remainder of the increase resulted from higher network and maintenance costs, up $1.1 million, and video regulatory fees, up $0.6 million.

Wireline

The Wireline segment provides regulated and unregulated voice services, DSL internet access, and long distance access services throughout Shenandoah County and portions of Rockingham, Frederick, Warren and Augusta counties, Virginia. The segment also provides video and cable modem internet access services in portions of Shenandoah County, and leases fiber optic facilities throughout the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, northern Virginia and adjacent areas along the Interstate 81 corridor through West Virginia, Maryland and portions of Pennsylvania.

 September 30,
2016
 
Dec. 31,
2015
 September 30, 2015 
Dec. 31,
2014
 March 31,
2017
 
Dec. 31,
2016
 March 31, 2016 
Dec. 31,
2015
Telephone Access Lines (1) 18,737
 20,252
 21,598
 21,612
 18,160
 18,443
 19,682
 20,252
Long Distance Subscribers 9,186
 9,476
 9,651
 9,571
 9,134
 9,149
 9,377
 9,476
Video Customers (2) 5,285
 5,356
 5,375
 5,692
 5,201
 5,264
 5,232
 5,356
DSL and Cable Modem Subscribers (3)(1) 14,195
 13,890
 13,323
 13,094
 14,527
 14,314
 14,200
 13,890
Fiber Route Miles 1,916
 1,736
 1,625
 1,556
 1,997
 1,971
 1,744
 1,736
Total Fiber Miles (4)(3) 133,903
 123,891
 107,432
 99,387
 145,060
 142,230
 125,559
 123,891

1)Effective October 1, 2015, we launched cable modem services on our cable plant, and ceased the requirement that a customer have a telephone access line to purchase internet service. As of March 31, 2017, 1,226 customers have purchased cable modem service received via the coaxial cable network.
Index

2)The Wireline segment’s video service passes approximately 16,00016,500 homes.
3)September 2016 and December 2015 totals include 911 and 420 customers, respectively, served via the coaxial cable network.  During first quarter 2016, we modified the way we count subscribers when a commercial customer upgrades its internet service via a fiber contract. We retroactively applied the new count methodology to prior periods and the net result was increases in internet subscriber counts of 804, 489 and 352 subscribers to December 31, 2015, September 30, 2015 and December 31, 2014 totals, respectively.
4)Fiber miles are measured by taking the number of fiber strands in a cable and multiplying that number by the route distance.  For example, a 10 mile route with 144 fiber strands would equal 1,440 fiber miles. Fiber counts were revised following a review of fiber records in the first quarter of 2015.


Three Months Ended September 30, 2016March 31, 2017 Compared with the Three Months Ended September 30, 2015March 31, 2016

 Three Months Ended
September 30,
 Change Three Months Ended
March 31,
 Change
(in thousands) 2016 2015 $ % 2017 2016 $ %
Segment operating revenues        
        
Service revenue $5,516
 $5,596
 $(80) (1.4) $5,602
 $5,537
 $65
 1.2
Carrier access and fiber revenues 12,365
 10,854
 1,511
 13.9
 12,665
 11,969
 696
 5.8
Other revenue 851
 828
 23
 2.8
 887
 873
 14
 1.6
Total segment operating revenues 18,732
 17,278
 1,454
 8.4
 19,154
 18,379
 775
 4.2
                
Segment operating expenses  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Cost of goods and services, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 9,442
 8,212
 1,230
 15.0
 9,273
 8,643
 630
 7.3
Selling, general and administrative, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 1,676
 1,688
 (12) (0.7) 1,676
 1,605
 71
 4.4
Depreciation and amortization 2,822
 3,404
 (582) (17.1) 3,132
 3,033
 99
 3.3
Total segment operating expenses 13,940
 13,304
 636
 4.8
 14,081
 13,281
 800
 6.0
Segment operating income $4,792
 $3,974
 $818
 20.6
 $5,073
 $5,098
 $(25) (0.5)

Operating revenues

Total operating revenues in the quarter ended September 30, 2016March 31, 2017 increased $1.5$0.8 million, or 8.4%4.2%, against the comparable 20152016 period, as a result of increases in fiber and access contracts.



Index

Operating expenses

Operating expenses overall increased $0.6$0.8 million, or 4.8%6.0%, in the quarter ended September 30, 2016,March 31, 2017, compared to the 20152016 quarter. The $1.2$0.6 million increase in cost of goods and services primarily resulted from costs to support the increase in carrier access and fiber revenues shown above.













Index

Nine Months Ended September 30, 2016 Compared with the Nine Months Ended September 30, 2015

  Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 Change
(in thousands) 2016 2015 $ %
Segment operating revenues        
Service revenue $16,433
 $16,420
 $13
 0.1
Carrier access and fiber revenue 36,628
 30,532
 6,096
 20.0
Other revenue 2,641
 2,375
 266
 11.2
Total segment operating revenues 55,702
 49,327
 6,375
 12.9
         
Segment operating expenses  
  
  
  
Cost of goods and services, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 26,892
 23,224
 3,668
 15.8
Selling, general and administrative, exclusive of depreciation and amortization shown separately below 4,951
 4,923
 28
 0.6
Depreciation and amortization 8,789
 9,411
 (622) (6.6)
Total segment operating expenses 40,632
 37,558
 3,074
 8.2
Segment operating income $15,070
 $11,769
 $3,301
 28.0

Operating revenues

Total operating revenues in the nine months ended September 30, 2016 increased $6.4 million, or 12.9%, against the comparable 2015 period. Carrier access and fiber revenues increased $6.1 million due to increases in fiber and access contracts.

Operating expenses

Operating expenses overall increased $3.1 million, or 8.2%, in the nine months ended September 30, 2016, compared to the 2015 period. The $3.7 million increase in cost of goods and services primarily resulted from costs to support the increase in carrier access and fiber revenues shown above.

Non-GAAP Financial MeasureMeasures

In managing our business and assessing our financial performance, management supplements the information provided by financial statement measures prepared in accordance with GAAP with adjustedAdjusted OIBDA and continuingContinuing OIBDA, which are considered “non-GAAP financial measures” under SEC rules.

Adjusted OIBDA is defined by us as operating income (loss) before depreciation and amortization, adjusted to exclude the effects of:  certain non-recurring transactions;transactions, impairment of assets;assets, gains and losses on asset sales;sales, straight-line adjustments for the waived management fee;fee by Sprint, amortization of the affiliate agreementcontract expansion asset;intangible reflected as a contra revenue, actuarial gains and losses on pension and other post-retirement benefit plans, and share-based compensation expense.  Adjusted OIBDA should not be construed as an alternative to operating income as determined in accordance with GAAP as a measure of operating performance.  Continuing OIBDA is defined by us as adjustedAdjusted OIBDA, less the benefit received from the waived management fee by Sprint over the next approximately six–year period.six-year period, showing Sprint's support for our acquisition and our commitments to enhance the network.

In a capital-intensive industry such as telecommunications, management believes that adjustedAdjusted OIBDA and continuingContinuing OIBDA and the associated percentage margin calculations are meaningful measures of our operating performance.  We use adjustedAdjusted OIBDA and continuingContinuing OIBDA as supplemental performance measures because management believes they facilitate comparisons of our operating performance from period to period and comparisons of our operating performance to that of other companies by excluding potential differences caused by the age and book depreciation of fixed assets (affecting relative depreciation expenses) as well as the other items described above for which additional adjustments were made.  In the future, management expects that the Company may again report adjusted OIBDAAdjusted and continuingContinuing OIBDA excluding these items and may incur expenses similar to these excluded items.  Accordingly, the exclusion of these and other similar items from our non-GAAP presentation should not be interpreted as implying these items are non-recurring, infrequent or unusual.

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While depreciation and amortization are considered operating costs under generally accepted accounting principles, these expenses primarily represent the current period allocation of costs associated with long-lived assets acquired or constructed in prior periods, and accordingly may obscure underlying operating trends for some purposes.  By isolating the effects of these expenses and other items that vary from period to period without any correlation to our underlying performance, or that vary widely among similar companies, management believes adjusted OIBDAAdjusted and continuingContinuing OIBDA facilitates internal comparisons of our historical operating performance, which are used by management for business planning purposes, and also facilitates comparisons of our performance relative to that of our competitors.  In addition, we believe that adjusted OIBDAAdjusted and continuingContinuing OIBDA and similar measures are widely used by investors and financial analysts as measures of our financial performance over time, and to compare our financial performance with that of other companies in our industry.

Adjusted OIBDA and continuingContinuing OIBDA have limitations as an analytical tool, and should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for analysis of our results as reported under GAAP.  These limitations include the following:

they do not reflect capital expenditures;
many of the assets being depreciated and amortized will have to be replaced in the future and adjusted OIBDAAdjusted and continuingContinuing OIBDA do not reflect cash requirements for such replacements;
they do not reflect costs associated with share-based awards exchanged for employee services;
they do not reflect interest expense necessary to service interest or principal payments on indebtedness;
they do not reflect gains, losses or dividends on investments;
they do not reflect expenses incurred for the payment of income taxes; and
other companies, including companies in our industry, may calculate adjusted OIBDAAdjusted and continuingContinuing OIBDA differently than we do, limiting its usefulness as a comparative measure.

In light of these limitations, management considers adjustedAdjusted OIBDA and continuingContinuing OIBDA as a financial performance measure that supplements but does not replace the information reflected in our GAAP results.

The following table shows adjustedAdjusted OIBDA and continuingContinuing OIBDA for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016March 31, 2017 and 2015.2016.
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 Three Months Ended
September 30,
 Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 Three Months Ended
March 31,
(in thousands) 2016 2015 2016 2015 2017 2016
Adjusted OIBDA $73,746
 $36,804
 $170,166
 $110,759
 $73,541
 $40,416
Continuing OIBDA $64,228
 $36,804
 $154,554
 $110,759
 $64,601
 $40,416

The following table reconciles adjustedAdjusted OIBDA and continuingContinuing OIBDA to operating income, (loss), which we consider to be the most directly comparable GAAP financial measure, for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016March 31, 2017 and 2015:2016:

Consolidated: 
 Three Months Ended
September 30,
 Nine Months Ended
September 30,
(in thousands) 2016 2015 2016 2015
Operating income (loss) $(3,929) $15,089
 $10,337
 $52,365
Plus depreciation and amortization 46,807
 19,118
 96,961
 53,119
Plus (gain) loss on asset sales (81) (1) (144) 229
Plus share based compensation expense 496
 469
 2,570
 1,893
Plus straight line adjustment to management fee waiver 4,640
 
 7,687
 
Plus amortization of intangible netted in revenue 5,593
 
 8,883
 
Plus temporary backoffice costs to support the billing operations through migration (1)
 4,948
 
 8,071
 
Plus integration and acquisition related expenses 15,272
 2,129
 35,801
 3,153
Adjusted OIBDA $73,746
 $36,804
 $170,166
 $110,759
Less waived management fee (9,518) 
 (15,612) 
Continuing OIBDA $64,228
 $36,804
 $154,554
 $110,759
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Consolidated: 
 Three Months Ended
March 31,
(in thousands) 2017 2016
Operating income $10,673
 $21,312
Plus depreciation and amortization 44,804
 17,739
Plus (gain) loss on asset sales (28) (15)
Plus share based compensation expense 1,566
 1,048
Plus straight line adjustment to management fee waiver 4,206
 
Plus amortization of intangible netted in revenue 4,978
 
Plus amortization of intangible netted in rent expense 258
 
Plus temporary back office costs to support the billing operations through migration (1)
 2,595
 
Plus integration and acquisition related expenses 4,489
 332
Adjusted OIBDA $73,541
 $40,416
Less waived management fee (8,940) 
Continuing OIBDA $64,601
 $40,416
(1) Once former nTelos customers migrate to the Sprint backoffice,back office, the Company incurs certain postpaid fees retained by Sprint and prepaid costs passed to us by Sprint that would offset a portion of these savings. For the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016,March 31, 2017, these offsets were estimated at $1.3 million and $3.1 million, respectively.$0.8 million.


The following tables reconcile adjusted OIBDA and continuingContinuing OIBDA to operating income by major segment for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2016March 31, 2017 and 2015:2016:
Wireless Segment: 
 Three Months Ended
March 31,
(in thousands) 2017 2016
Operating income $9,137
 $19,932
Plus depreciation and amortization 35,752
 8,494
Plus (gain) loss on asset sales (24) 13
Plus share based compensation expense 725
 271
Plus straight line adjustment to management fee waiver 4,206
 
Plus amortization of intangible netted in revenue 4,978
 
Plus amortization of intangible netted in rent expense 258
 
Plus temporary back office costs to support the billing operations through migration 2,593
 
Plus integration and acquisition related expenses 3,792
 
Adjusted OIBDA $61,417
 $28,710
Less waived management fee (8,940) 
Continuing OIBDA $52,477
 $28,710

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Wireless Segment: 
 Three Months Ended
September 30,
 Nine Months Ended
September 30,
(in thousands) 2016 2015 2016 2015
Operating income (loss) $(5,407) $17,393
 $20,905
 $56,101
Plus depreciation and amortization 38,038
 9,644
 70,026
 26,089
Plus (gain) loss on asset sales (45) 40
 (84) 73
Plus share based compensation expense 246
 109
 1,058
 441
Plus straight line adjustment to management fee waiver 4,640
 
 7,687
 
Plus amortization of intangible netted in revenue 5,593
 
 8,883
 
Plus temporary backoffice costs to support the billing operations through migration 4,945
 
 8,067
 
Plus integration and acquisition related expenses 14,499
 
 19,889
 
Adjusted OIBDA $62,509
 $27,186
 $136,431
 $82,704
Less waived management fee (9,518) 
 (15,612) 
Continuing OIBDA $52,991
 $27,186
 $120,819
 $82,704

Cable Segment:
 Three Months Ended
September 30,
 Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 Three Months Ended
March 31,
(in thousands) 2016 2015 2016 2015 2017 2016
Operating income (loss) $2,282
 $(603) $4,043
 $(1,706)
Operating income $3,139
 $597
Plus depreciation and amortization 5,860
 5,948
 17,834
 17,286
 5,788
 6,095
Plus (gain) loss on asset sales (19) (39) (53) 12
Less gain on asset sales (23) (13)
Plus share based compensation expense 108
 164
 673
 665
 364
 358
Adjusted OIBDA and Continuing OIBDA $8,231
 $5,470
 $22,497
 $16,257
 $9,268
 $7,037
 
Wireline Segment:
 Three Months Ended
September 30,
 Nine Months Ended
September 30,
 Three Months Ended
March 31,
(in thousands) 2016 2015 2016 2015 2017 2016
Operating income $4,792
 $3,974
 $15,070
 $11,769
 $5,073
 $5,098
Plus depreciation and amortization 2,822
 3,404
 8,789
 9,411
 3,132
 3,033
Plus (gain) loss on asset sales 
 (2) 40
 132
Plus loss on asset sales 30
 
Plus share based compensation expense 49
 84
 284
 330
 146
 169
Adjusted OIBDA and Continuing OIBDA $7,663
 $7,460
 $24,183
 $21,642
 $8,381
 $8,300

Liquidity and Capital Resources

We have fourthree principal sources of funds available to meet the financing needs of itsour operations, capital projects, debt service, investments and potential dividends.  These sources include cash flows from operations, existing balances of cash and cash equivalents, the liquidation of investments and borrowings.  Management routinely considers the alternatives available to determine what mix of sources are best suited for the long-term benefit of the Company.

Sources and Uses of Cash. We generated $105.8$24.5 million of net cash from operations in the first ninethree months of 2016,2017, compared to $83.1$43.2 million in the first ninethree months of 2015. Changes2016. The primary change included a net loss compared to net income, increases in non-cash
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expenses including depreciation, amortization, and other items, changes in tax accounts, and by the timing of cash receipts and disbursements in early 2017 for taxes, inventories and other items.acquired in late 2016.

Indebtedness.  As of September 30, 2016,March 31, 2017, our indebtedness totaled $809.6$866.8 million in term loans with an annualized effective interest rate of approximately 4.16%3.91% after considering the impact of the interest rate swap contract and unamortized loan costs.  The balance consists of the $478.9$466.8 million Term Loan A-1 at a variable rate (3.27%(3.73% as of September 30, 2016)March 31, 2017) that resets monthly based on one month LIBOR plus a margin of 2.75%, and the $350$400 million Term Loan A-2 at a variable rate (3.52%(3.98% as of September 30, 2016)March 31, 2017) that resets monthly based on one month LIBOR plus a margin of 3.00%.  The Term Loan A-1 requires quarterly principal repayments of $6.1 million which began on September 30, 2016 and will continue through June 30, 2017, then increasing to $12.1 million quarterly from September 30, 2017 through June 30, 2020, increasing to $18.2 million quarterly from September 30, 2020 thereafterwith further increases at that time through March 31, 2021, with the remaining balance of approximately $260.7 million duematurity in June 30, 2021.  The Term Loan A-2 requires quarterly principal repayments of $10.0 million beginning on September 30, 2018 through March 31, 2023, with the current remaining expected balance of approximately $160.0 million due June 30, 2023.
 
We are bound by certain financial covenants under the 2016 credit agreement. Noncompliance with any one or more of the debt covenants may have an adverse effect on our financial condition or liquidity in the event such noncompliance cannot be cured or should we be unable to obtain a waiver from the lenders. As of September 30, 2016,March 31, 2017, we were in compliance with all debt covenants, and ratios at September 30, 2016March 31, 2017 were as follows:

  Actual 
Covenant Requirement at
September 30, 2016March 31, 2017
Total Leverage Ratio 2.782.88
 3.75 or Lower
Debt Service Coverage Ratio 4.514.56
 2.00 or Higher
Minimum Liquidity Balance$113 million
$25 million or Higher

In accordance with the Credit Agreement, the total leverage and debt service coverage ratios noted above are based on consolidated EBITDA, cash taxes, scheduled principal payments and cash interest expense for the nine month period ending
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March 31, 2017, divided by three months ended September 30, 2016,and multiplied by four.four, all as defined under the Credit Agreement. In addition to the covenants above, we are required to supply the lenders with quarterly financial statements and other reports as defined by the 2016 credit agreement. We were in compliance with all reporting requirements at September 30, 2016.March 31, 2017.

We had no off-balance sheet arrangements (other than operating leases) and have not entered into any transactions involving unconsolidated, limited purpose entities or commodity contracts.

Capital Commitments. CapitalThe Company budgeted $152.3 million in capital expenditures budgeted for 2016 totaled $218.5 million,2017, including $120.3$86.4 million in the Wireless segment for upgrades and expansion of the nTelos wireless network.  In addition, $21.2 million is budgeted for information technology upgrades, new and renovated buildings and other projects, $24.2 million for additional network capacity, and $36.4network; $28.1 million for network expansion including new fiber routes, new cell towers, and cable market expansion. As of September 30, 2016, expectationsexpansion; $27.0 million for 2016 total capital spending have been revised downward to $179.4additional network capacity; and $10.8 million a decrease of $39.1 million. Of the decrease, $28.0 million is from the Wireless segment,for information technology upgrades, new and $19.0 million of that resulted from the additional spending undertaken by nTelos in the last few months before the closing of the acquisition. An additional $7.5 million of the overall decrease is on the Cable segment,renovated buildings and largely relates to a fiber build project that is carrying over into 2017.other projects. 

For the first ninethree months of 2016,2017, we spent $102.9$38.6 million on capital projects, compared to $39.6$20.5 million in the comparable 20152016 period.  Spending related to Wireless projects accounted for $65.6$25.3 million in the first ninethree months of 2016,2017, primarily for upgrades of former nTelos sites and additional network capacity and technology upgrades.cell sites to expand coverage in the former nTelos territory. Cable capital spending of $16.4$5.2 million related to network and cable market expansion. Wireline capital projects cost $12.1$7.6 million, driven primarily by fiber builds.  Other projects totaled $8.8$0.5 million, largely related to information technology projects.

We believe that cash on hand, cash flow from operations and borrowings expected to be available under our existing credit facilities will provide sufficient cash to enable us to fund planned capital expenditures, make scheduled principal and interest payments, meet our other cash requirements and maintain compliance with the terms of our financing agreements for at least the next twelve months.  Thereafter, capital expenditures will likely continue to be required to continue planned capital upgrades to the acquired wireless network and provide increased capacity to meet our expected growth in demand for our products and services. The actual amount and timing of our future capital requirements may differ materially from our estimate depending on the demand for our products and new market developments and opportunities.

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Our cash flows from operations could be adversely affected by events outside our control, including, without limitation, changes in overall economic conditions, regulatory requirements, changes in technologies, demand for our products, availability of labor resources and capital, changes in our relationship with Sprint, and other conditions.  The Wireless segment’s operations are dependent upon Sprint’s ability to execute certain functions such as billing, customer care, and collections; our ability to develop and implement successful marketing programs and new products and services; and our ability to effectively and economically manage other operating activities under our agreements with Sprint.  Our ability to attract and maintain a sufficient customer base, particularly in the acquired cable markets, is also critical to our ability to maintain a positive cash flow from operations.  The foregoing events individually or collectively could affect our results.

Recently Issued Accounting Standards

In May 2014, the FASB issued ASU No. 2014-09, “Revenue from Contracts with Customers”, also known as Topic 606, which requires an entity to recognize the amount of revenue to which it expects to be entitled for the transfer of promised goods or services to customers. The ASU will replace most existing revenue recognition guidance in U.S. GAAP when it becomes effective.  In August 2015, the FASB issued ASU No. 2015-14, delaying the effective date of ASU 2014-09.  Three other amendments have been issued during 2016 modifying the original ASU. As amended, the new standard is effective for the Company on January 1, 2018, using either a retrospective basis or a modified retrospective basis with early adoption permitted, but not earlier than the original effective date beginning after December 15, 20162016. We have formed a project team to evaluate and implement the new standard. As part of our work to date, we have begun documentation and are nearing completion of contract review. We currently plan to adopt this guidance using the modified retrospective transition approach, which would result in an adjustment to retained earnings for the cumulative effect, if any, of applying this standard. Additionally, this guidance requires us to provide additional disclosures of the amount by which each financial statement line item is affected in the current reporting period during 2018 as compared to the guidance that was in effect before the change. We continue to evaluateassess the impact that thethis new standard and available adoption methods will have on our consolidated financial statementsposition, results of operations and related disclosures.cash flows.

In February 2016, the FASB issued ASU No. 2016-02, “Leases”, also known as Topic 842, which requires the recognition of lease assets and lease liabilities by lessees for those leases classified as operating leases under previous generally accepted accounting principles.  This change will result in an increase to recorded assets and liabilities on lessees’ financial statements, as well as changes in the categorization of rental costs, from rent expense to interest and depreciation expense.  Other effects may occur depending on the types of leases and the specific terms of them utilized by particular lessees.  The ASU is effective for us on January 1, 2019, and early application is permitted.  Modified retrospective application is required.  We are currently evaluating the effectASU, but expect that ASU 2016-02it will have a material impact on our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures.statements.

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ITEM 3.QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

The Company’s market risks relate primarily to changes in interest rates on instruments held for other than trading purposes.  The Company’s interest rate risk generally involves twothree components.  The first component is outstanding debt with variable rates.  As of September 30, 2016,March 31, 2017, the Company had $828.9$866.8 million of variable rate debt outstanding (excluding unamortized loan fees and costs of $19.4$17.8 million), bearing interest at a weighted average rate of 3.38%3.85% as determined on a monthly basis. An increase in market interest rates of 1.00% would add approximately $8.2$8.7 million to annual interest expense, excluding the effect of the interest rate swap.  In May 2016, the Company entered into a pay-fixed, receive-variable interest rate swap with three counterparties totaling $256.6 of notional principal (subject to change based upon expected draws under the delayed draw term loan and principal payments due under our debt agreements).  These swaps,This swap, combined with the swap purchased in 2012, cover notional principal equal to approximately 50% of the expected outstanding variable rate debt through maturity in 2023. The Company is required to pay a combined fixed rate of approximately 1.16% and receive a variable rate based on one month LIBOR (0.52%(0.98% as of September 30, 2016)March 31, 2017), to manage a portion of its interest rate risk. Changes in the net interest paid or received under the swaps would offset approximately 50% of the change in interest expense on the variable rate debt outstanding. The swap agreements currently add approximately $2.3$0.8 million to annual interest expense, based on the spread between the fixed rate and the variable rate currently in effect on our debt.

The second component of interest rate risk consists of temporary excess cash, which can be invested in various short-term investment vehicles such as overnight repurchase agreements and Treasury bills with a maturity of less than 90 days. As of March 31, 2017, the cash is invested in a commercial checking account that has limited interest rate risk. Management continually evaluates the most beneficial use of these funds.

The third component of interest rate risk is marked increases in interest rates that may adversely affect the rate at which the Company may borrow funds for growth in the future.  If the Company should borrow additional funds under any Incremental Term Loan Facility to fund its capital investment needs, repayment provisions would be agreed to at the time of each draw under the Incremental Term Loan Facility.  If the interest rate margin on any draw exceeds by more than 0.25% the applicable interest rate margin on the Term Loan Facility, the applicable interest rate margin on the Term Loan Facility shall be increased to equal the interest rate margin on the Incremental Term Loan Facility.  If interest rates increase generally, or if the rate applied under the Company’s Incremental Term Loan Facility causes the Company’s outstanding debt to be repriced, the Company’s future interest costs could increase.

Management views market risk as having a potentially significant impact on the Company's results of operations, as future results could be adversely affected if interest rates were to increase significantly for an extended period, or if the Company’s need for additional external financing resulted in increases to the interest rates applied to all of its new and existing debt.  As of September 30, 2016,March 31, 2017, the Company has $402.0$433.4 million of variable rate debt with no interest rate protection.  The Company’s investments in publicly traded stock and bond mutual funds under the rabbi trust, which are subject to market risks and could experience significant swings in market values, are offset by corresponding changes in the liabilities owed to participants in the Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan.  General economic conditions affected by regulatory changes, competition or other external influences may pose a higher risk to the Company’s overall results.

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ITEM 4.CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES

Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures

Management, with the participation of our President and Chief Executive Officer, who is the principal executive officer, and the Vice President - Finance and Chief Financial Officer, who is the principal financial officer, conducted an evaluation of our disclosure controls and procedures, as defined by Rule 13a-15(e) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.  Based
As disclosed in our Annual Report on this evaluation,Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, we identified material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting. The material weaknesses will not be considered remediated until the Company's principal executive officerapplicable remedial controls operate for a sufficient period of time and its principal financial officermanagement has concluded, through testing, that these controls are operating effectively. As remediation has not yet been completed our President and Chief Executive Officer and our Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer have concluded that the Company'sour disclosure controls and procedures were effectivecontinued to be ineffective as of September 30, 2016.March 31, 2017.
Notwithstanding the material weaknesses, management has concluded that the condensed consolidated financial statements included in this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q fairly state, in all material respects, our financial position, results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented.
Remediation Efforts
In response to the material weaknesses identified in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for our fiscal year ended December 31, 2016, we expect to:
Seek, train and retain individuals that have the appropriate skills and experience related to financial reporting and internal control related to (i) complex, significant non-routine transactions; (ii) the preparation of the consolidated statements of cash flows; and (iii) the Company’s internal audit function.
Evaluate and develop where necessary policies and procedures to ensure our personnel are sufficiently knowledgeable about the design, operation and documentation of internal controls over financial reporting related to (i) complex, significant non-routine transactions; (ii) accounting for income taxes; and (iii) the preparation of the consolidated statements of cash flows.
Enhance the design of existing control activities and implement additional control activities to ensure management review controls and other controls (including controls that validate the completeness and accuracy of information, data and assumptions) related to complex, significant non-routine transactions and accounting for income taxes, are properly designed and documented.
Evaluate and enhance the Company’s policies, procedures and control activities over communicating with the Company’s third party experts to ensure complete and accurate information is communicated.
Evaluate and enhance the Company’s monitoring activities to ensure the components of internal control are present and functioning related to (i) complex, significant non-routine transactions; (ii) accounting for income taxes; and (iii) the preparation of the consolidated statements of cash flows.

Changes in Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

The acquisition of nTelos was completed on May 6, 2016,2016. Our Company’s management has extended its oversight and had a material impact onmonitoring processes that support internal control over financial reporting to include the financial position, resultsoperations of operations and cash flows of the Company from the date of acquisition.  ManagementnTelos. Our management is integratingcontinuing to integrate the acquired operationoperations into its business processes andour overall internal control structuresfinancial reporting process, expected to be complete in 2017.
Except as quickly as possible, although it is certain thatnoted above, there has been no change in the integration of customers and back office operations will not be completed until sometime during 2017.  As a result of the acquisition, and the ongoing impact to the business, management has elected to exclude the legacy systems of nTelos from our 2016 assessment ofCompany’s internal controlscontrol over financial reporting as of March 31, 2017, that has materially affected or is reasonably likely to material affect, the Company’s internal control over financial reporting.

Other Matters Relating to Internal Control Over Financial Reporting

Under the Company’s agreements with Sprint, Sprint provides the Company with billing, collections, customer care, certain network operations and other back-office services for the PCS operation. As a result, Sprint remits to the Company a substantial portion of the Company’s total operating revenues, which will increase as legacy nTelos subscribers migrate to the Sprint billing platform in the future. Due to this relationship, the Company necessarily relies on Sprint to provide accurate, timely and sufficient data and information to properly record the Company’s revenues and accounts receivable, which underlie a substantial portion of the Company’s periodic financial statements and other financial disclosures.
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Information provided by Sprint includes reports regarding the subscriber accounts receivable in the Company’s markets. Sprint provides the Company with monthly accounts receivable, billing and cash receipts, average national costs to acquire and support a prepaid customer, certain national channel commission and handset subsidy costs, and travel revenue information on a market level, rather than a subscriber level. The Company reviews these various reports to identify discrepancies or errors. Under the Company’s agreements with Sprint, the Company is entitled to only a portion of the receipts, net of items such as taxes, government surcharges, certain allocable write-offs and the 16.6% of postpaid and 6% of prepaid revenue currently retained by Sprint (before the effect of fee waivers). Sprint reports directly billed costs and revenues to the Company. Because of the Company’s reliance on Sprint for financial information, the Company must depend on Sprint to design adequate internal controls with respect to the processes established to provide this data and information to the Company and Sprint’s other Sprint PCS affiliate network partners. To address this issue, Sprint engages an independent registered public accounting firm to perform a periodic evaluation of these controls and to provide a “Report on Controls Placed in Operation and Tests of Operating Effectiveness” under guidance provided in Statements on Standards for Attestation Engagements No. 16 (“SSAE 16”). The report is provided to the Company on an annual basis and covers a nine-month period. The most recent report covered the period from January 1, 20152016 to September 30, 2015.2016. The most recent report indicated there were no material issues which would adversely affect the information used to support the recording of the revenues provided by Sprint related to the Company’s relationship with them.

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PART II.OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 1A.Risk Factors

We discuss in our Annual Report on Form 10-K various risks that may materially affect our business. We use this section to update this discussion to reflect material developments since our Form 10-K was filed. As of March 31, 2017, the Company has not identified any needed updates to the risk factors included in our most recent Form 10-K.

In connection with the nTelos acquisition, we incurred significant additional indebtedness, which could materially and adversely affect us, including by decreasing our business flexibility.

We have substantially increased indebtedness following completion of the nTelos acquisition in comparison to that of the Company on a recent historical basis, which has increased our interest expense and amortization requirements and could have the effect, among other things, of reducing our flexibility to respond to changing business and economic conditions.  The amount of cash required to pay interest on our increased indebtedness and the increased amortization requirements to pay down the loan balances following the nTelos acquisition, and thus the demands on our cash resources, could be greater than the amount of cash flows required to service our indebtedness prior to the nTelos acquisition.  Our increased levels of indebtedness could also reduce funds available for working capital, capital expenditures, dividends and other general corporate purposes and may create competitive disadvantages for us relative to other companies with lower debt levels.  If we do not achieve the expected benefits and cost savings from the nTelos acquisition, or if the financial performance of the combined company does not meet current expectations, then our ability to service this indebtedness may be materially and adversely impacted.

It may be difficult to successfully integrate the business of nTelos and we may fail to realize the anticipated benefits expected from the nTelos acquisition, which could materially and adversely affect our operating results and the market price of our common stock.

If we experience greater than anticipated costs to integrate nTelos into our existing operations or are not able to achieve the anticipated benefits of the nTelos acquisition, our business and results of operations could be materially and negatively affected.  In addition, it is possible that the ongoing integration process could result in the disruption of our ongoing business or inconsistencies in standards, controls, procedures and policies that adversely affect our ability to maintain relationships with customers and employees or to achieve the anticipated benefits of the nTelos acquisition.  Integration efforts also may divert management attention and resources.

The success of the nTelos acquisition will also depend, in significant part, on our ability to successfully integrate the acquired business and realize the synergies anticipated with the nTelos acquisition.  Many of these synergies are not expected to occur for a period of time and will require capital expenditures to be fully realized.  If we are unable to integrate nTelos successfully, we may not realize the anticipated benefits of the nTelos acquisition, including the anticipated synergies.

ITEM 2.Unregistered Sales of Equity Securities and Use of Proceeds

The Company maintains a dividend reinvestment plan (the “DRIP”) for the benefit of its shareholders.  When shareholders remove shares from the DRIP, the Company issues a certificate for whole shares, pays out cash for any fractional shares, and cancels the fractional shares purchased.  In conjunction with exercises of stock options and distributions of vested share awards, the Company periodically repurchases shares from recipients to satisfy some of the exercise price of the options being exercised or taxes payable associated with the distribution of shares.  The following table provides information about the Company’s repurchases of shares during the three months ended September 30, 2016:March 31, 2017:

  
Number of Shares
Purchased
 
Average Price
Paid per Share
July 1 to July 31 21,841
 $41.87
August 1 to August 31 
 $
September 1 to September 30 
 $
     
Total 21,841
 $41.87
  
Number of Shares
Purchased
 
Average Price
Paid per Share
January 1 to January 31 43,044
 $28.48
February 1 to February 28 
 $
March 1 to March 31 
 $
     
Total 43,044
 $28.48

On May 6, 2016, in connection with the closing of the nTelos acquisition, the Company issued 380,000 shares of its common stock as consideration for the acquisition of the non-controlling interests in a subsidiary of nTelos.  Such shares were valued at
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$10.4 million.  The sale of these securities was exempt from registration pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, based upon representations made to us by the equity holders in purchase agreements we entered into with each equity holder.

ITEM 6. Exhibits

(a)The following exhibits are filed with this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q:
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3.310.54Amended
Addendum XX to Sprint PCS Management Agreement, dated as of March 9, 2017, by and Restated Bylaws ofamong Shenandoah TelecommunicationsPersonal Communications, LLC, Sprint Spectrum L.P., Sprint Communications Company, effective July 18, 2016,L.P., SprintCom, Inc. and Horizon Personal Communications, LLC, filed as Exhibit 3.110.1 to the CompanyCompany's Current Report on Form 8-K dated July 18, 2016.filed
March 15, 2017.
  
31.1Certification of President and Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
  
31.2Certification of Vice President - Finance and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
  
32Certifications pursuant to Rule 13a-14(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and 18 U.S.C. § 1350.
  
(101)Formatted in XBRL (Extensible Business Reporting Language)
   
 101.INSXBRL Instance Document
   
 101.SCHXBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
   
 101.CALXBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
   
 101.DEFXBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
   
 101.LABXBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
   
 101.PREXBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

 SHENANDOAH TELECOMMUNICATIONS COMPANY
 (Registrant)

 /s/Adele M. Skolits
 Adele M. Skolits
 Vice President - Finance and Chief Financial Officer
 Date: November 7, 2016May 4, 2017

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EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit No.Exhibit
  
3.310.54AmendedAddendum XX to Sprint PCS Management Agreement, dated as of March 9, 2017, by and Restated Bylaws ofamong Shenandoah TelecommunicationsPersonal Communications, LLC, Sprint Spectrum L.P., Sprint Communications Company, effective July 18, 2016,L.P., SprintCom, Inc. and Horizon Personal Communications, LLC, filed as Exhibit 3.110.1 to the CompanyCompany's Current Report on Form 8-K dated July 18, 2016.filed March 15, 2017.
  
Certification of President and Chief Executive Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
  
Certification of Vice President - Finance and Chief Financial Officer pursuant to Rule 13a-14(a) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
  
Certifications pursuant to Rule 13a-14(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and 18 U.S.C. § 1350.
  
(101)Formatted in XBRL (Extensible Business Reporting Language)
   
 101.INSXBRL Instance Document
   
 101.SCHXBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
   
 101.CALXBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
   
 101.DEFXBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
   
 101.LABXBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
   
 101.PREXBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document



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