SBC Communications Inc. added 365,000 digital-subscriber-line customers in the third quarter, a new record for growth that gives the telco 3.1 million broadband subscribers.
Company executives predicted continued strong growth, saying that by first-quarter 2004, some 80% of all SBC homes would be DSL-capable.
Consumers represent 73% of that total, up from 65% a year ago. SBC attributed the growth to its Yahoo! Inc. partnership and $26.95-per-month pricing initiatives for new subscribers in bundles or who sign up online.
Despite the price promotion, SBC executives said, revenue per DSL subscriber held steady at $40 per month in the quarter.
SBC said 36% of its customers take phone service plus one other bundled service -- either wireless, DSL or long distance. Video will get added to that bundle when SBC launches with EchoStar Communications Corp.’s Dish Network in the first quarter of 2004.
In related telco news, EarthLink Inc. added 112,000 net new broadband subscribers, giving it 953,000 total broadband customers. It was enough to push its net income to $3.5 million in the third quarter, compared with a loss of $30.1 million in the third quarter of 2002.
