Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier OperationsOperating revenuesincreased $3.2 million, or 1%, to $322.6 million in the six months ended June 30, 2004 from $319.4 million in 2003. Local service revenues increased $2.8 million, or 3%, to $101.6 million in 2004 from $98.8 million in 2003. Custom calling and advanced features and other miscellaneous revenues increased $1.9 million in 2004. Internal access line growth contributed approximately $0.9 million of the increase.Network access and long distance revenues decreased $0.4 million, or less than 1%, to $177.7 million in 2004 from $178.1 million in 2003. Compensation from state and national revenue pools for recovery of expenses of providing network access decreased $2.9 million as compared to 2003. Revenues from long distance service increased $1.8 million in 2004 reflecting increased long distance customers. As of June 30, 2004, TDS Telecom incumbent local exchange operations were providing long-distance service to 280,900 customers compared to 211,900 customers in 2003. Beginning January 1, 2004, the long distance customers reflect those lines from customers who have chosen TDS Telecom as their primary interexchange carrier. Prior to that, a count of customers was used.Miscellaneous revenues from Internet, digital subscriber line and other non-regulated lines of business increased $0.8 million, or 2%, to $43.3 million in 2004 from $42.5 million in 2003. As of June 30, 2004, TDS Telecom incumbent local exchange carrier operations were providing Internet service to 112,100 customers compared to 116,700 customers in 2003 and were providing digital subscriber line service to 31,500 customers compared to 16,200 customers 2003. Operating expenses decreased by $5.7 million, or 2%, to $225.1 million in 2004 from $230.8 million in 2003, reflecting cost control measures.Cost of services and products decreased by $4.3 million, or 6%, to $73.7 million in 2004 from $78.0 million in 2003. The decrease was driven primarily by a one-time adjustment for long distance cost of goods sold recorded in the first quarter of 2004. In addition, network operation employee expenses decreased $1.2 million in 2004.Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased $0.6 million, or 1%, to $86.4 million from $87.0 million in 2003.Depreciation and amortization expenses decreased $0.7 million, or 1%, to $65.0 million in 2004 from $65.7 million in 2003. Operating income increased $8.8 million, or 10%, to $97.5 million in 2004 from $88.7 million in 2003 primarily due to continued expense controls. Incumbent local exchange carriers are faced with significant challenges, including growing competition from wireless and other wireline providers, changes in regulation, and new technologies such as Voice Over Internet Protocol. Despite these challenges, TDS Telecom has successfully maintained customer levels and customer satisfaction while controlling expenses. Competitive Local Exchange Carrier OperationsOperating revenues (revenue from the provision of local and long distance telephone service) increased $9.6 million, or 9%, to $114.5 million in 2004 from $104.9 million in 2003. Retail revenues increased $15.2 million, of which $12.7 million is due to customer growth, and $2.5 million is due to one-time adjustments to certain revenue accruals. In the second quarter of 2004, TDS Telecom undertook a comprehensive review of its competitive local exchange carrier accruals and, as a result, adjusted certain unbilled revenue accruals that on a net basis resulted in an increase in competitive local exchange carrier revenues of $2.5 million. Wholesale revenues, which represent charges to carriers, decreased $5.6 million in 2004 due primarily to access rate decreases. Operating expensesincreased $8.1 million, or 7%, to $122.5 million in 2004 from $114.4 million in 2003.Cost of services and products increased $2.6 million, or 6%, to $43.6 million in 2004 from $41.0 million in 2003. Cost of services and products in 2003 included $2.3 million of one-time expense reductions relative to Regional Bell Operating Company payments for unsatisfactory service level performance.Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $2.9 million, or 5%, to $60.2 million in 2004 from $57.3 million in 2003 partially due to a $1.3 million increase in competitive local exchange carrier sales and marketing expenses associated with acquiring new customers.Depreciation and amortization expenses increased $2.6 million, or 16%, to $18.7 million in 2004 from $16.1 million in 2003 as a result of increases in fixed assets. Operating lossdecreased $1.5 million, or 16%, to $(8.0) million in 2004 from $(9.5) million in 2003. The amount of operating loss in 2004 was reduced by the $2.5 million one-time adjustments to certain revenue accruals, as discussed under Operating revenues. Excluding these one-time adjustments, the competitive local exchange carrier operating loss increased on a comparable basis due primarily to an increase in Depreciation and amortization expenses. 42
Effects of Wireless Number Portability The FCC has adopted wireless number portability rules requiring wireless carriers to allow a customer to retain, subject to certain geographical limitations, their existing telephone number when switching from one telecommunications carrier to another. Local exchange carriers in the largest 100 metropolitan statistical areas in the United States were required to be capable of facilitating wireless number portability as of November 24, 2003. On May 24, 2004, local exchange carriers outside such 100 areas were required to implement wireless number portability requirements on May 24, 2004 or within six months of the relevant request, whichever is later. However, local exchange carriers may seek waivers or extensions of these deadlines pursuant to the Communications Act and the FCC’s rules. TDS Telecom has established a schedule to implement local number portability. As of June 30, 2004, TDS Telecom has equipped 85% of its incumbent local exchange carrier physical access lines and will complete the remaining local number portability schedule by mid 2005. Through June 30, 2004, TDS Telecom has received 31 wireline to wireless port requests. TDS is unable to predict the impact that the implementation of wireless number portability will have on the business of TDS Telecom in the future. Three Months Ended June 30, 2004 Compared to Three Months Ended June 30, 2003Operating Revenuesincreased $77.2 million, or 9%, to $934.6 million during the second quarter of 2004 from $857.4 million in 2003 for reasons generally the same as the first six months. U.S. Cellular revenues increased $66.3 million, or 10%, to $712.2 million in 2004 from $645.9 million in 2003. Retail service revenue increased $65.4 million, or 13%, to $576.5 million in 2004 from $511.1 million in 2003, while inbound roaming revenue decreased $12.3 million, or 22%, to $44.5 million in 2004 from $56.8 million in 2003. Average monthly service revenue per customer was $47.79 in the second quarter of 2004 and $47.38 in 2003. Average retail service revenue per customer increased to $41.58 from $39.69. The numerator of this calculation of average monthly revenues per customer for the three months ended June 2004 and 2003 consists of the revenue for the respective three month period divided by three. The denominator consists of the average number of customers. Average customers totaled 4,622,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2004 and 4,292,000 for the three months ended June 30, 2003. Equipment sales revenue increased $13.7 million, or 38%, to $49.5 million in 2004 from $35.8 million in 2003 primarily due to a 14% increase in gross customer activations as well as an increase in handsets sold to customers for retention purposes. In addition, the overall revenue per handset increased in the second quarter of 2004 as more customers purchased higher priced data-enabled handsets. TDS Telecom revenues increased $10.9 million, or 5%, to $222.4 million in the second quarter of 2004 from $211.5 million in 2003 primarily due to a 14% growth in competitive local exchange carrier revenues and $2.5 million in one-time adjustments to certain competitive local exchange carrier revenue accruals. In the second quarter of 2004, TDS Telecom undertook a comprehensive review of its competitive local exchange carrier accruals and, as a result, adjusted certain unbilled revenue accruals that on a net basis resulted in an increase in competitive local exchange carrier revenues of $2.5 million. Competitive local exchange carrier access line equivalents increased 22% since June 30, 2003, while digital subscriber line customers increased 77%. Incumbent local exchange carrier revenues grew 2% in the second quarter of 2004 reflecting increases in additional services. Incumbent local exchange carrier digital subscriber line customers increased 94% since June 30, 2003. TDS Telecom continues to penetrate its wireline markets with successful promotion and sales of additional lines of business. Operating Expenses increased $9.2 million, or 1%, to $824.1 million during the second quarter of 2004 from $814.9 million in 2003 for reasons generally the same as the first six months. 43
U.S. Cellular expenses increased $3.9 million, or 1%, to $646.4 million in 2004 from $642.5 million in 2003. Cost of equipment sold increased $30.6 million, or 38%, to $110.2 million in 2004 from $79.6 million in 2003. The increase was due to the 14% increase in gross customer activations in 2004 as well as an increase in handsets sold to customers for retention purposes. In addition, the overall cost per handset increased in the second quarter of 2004 as more customers purchased higher priced data enabled handsets. Selling, general and administrative expenses increased $11.5 million, or 4%, to $269.6 million in 2004 from $258.1 million in 2003. Sales and marketing cost per gross customer addition increased to $392 in the second quarter of 2004 from $378 in 2003, primarily due to increased handset subsidies. Below is a summary of sales and marketing cost per gross customer activation for each period. |