AT&T reports Q1 wireless data gains

AT&T reported first-quarter profits of $2.8 billion, an increase credited in part to mobile data service revenues generated by text messaging, web browsing and content downloads. AT&T's total wireless revenues grew 11.2 percent in the first quarter to $10 billion, with wireless data revenues increasing 66.8 percent over Q1 2006 to $1.5 billion. The former Cingular's wireless operations counted more than 33 million active data customers, up more than 30 percent over year-ago numbers, and delivered close to 230 million multimedia messages and 14 billion text messages.

AT&T also posted year-over-year growth in wireless service ARPU for the third consecutive quarter. First-quarter ARPU was $49.21, up 1.4 percent versus the year-ago quarter; data ARPU was $7.88, up $2.66, or 51 percent, over Q1 2006. "I am very pleased to report that in the first full quarter following our acquisition of BellSouth, we kept our focus on customers and grew the business," said AT&T chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre in a prepared statement. "Wireless service revenues increased at a double-digit pace."

For more on the AT&T earnings report:
- read this release

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