SBC racks up strong results

(Telephony) On the strength of double-digit percentage revenue gains in data services, SBC reported fourth revenue of $14.1 billion today, an increase of 9.1% over the previous quarter. Additionally, the company reported full year 2000 revenue gains of 8.8% to $53.3 billion.

On a diluted earnings per-share basis, fourth quarter results were 57 cents per share versus 54 cents a year ago, before one-time items. For the full year, the company reported diluted earnings per share before one-time items of $2.26, a 5.1 % increase over 1999.

Behind the top-line numbers, which met analysts lowered expectations, SBC reported a 44.3% growth in data revenues to $2.2 billion in the quarter. For the full year 2000, SBC's data revenues were $7.5 billion, a 41% increase from 1999. The company also reported 767,000 DSL customers at year's end, reflecting a fourth-quarter gain of 251,000.

“Our data revenues increased 44% quarter over quarter and that’s nearly double the size of our data revenue stream of two years ago,” said a company spokesman.

On the wireless side, the company reported a net gain of 814,000 customers at Cingular, giving it a total of 19.7 million customers.

In its first reported numbers after entering the long distance market, SBC reported 1.7 million lines of long distance in Texas, representing 1.4 million customers. The company also become the first former Bell operating company to win approval to offer long distance in multiple states after the FCC gave it the go-ahead in Kansas and Oklahoma.

Jim Ellis, executive vice president and general counsel, said the FCC’s decision early this week gives the company hope that future Section 271 applications would be processed faster.

“I believe with this decision that this road map is becoming increasingly clear,” said Ellis. “The FCC has made clear that the 271 process is not the place for individual complaints.”

SBC will file applications this quarter with the FCC to offer long distance in Missouri and Arkansas. California, the most lucrative long distance market for SBC will be next on the block, he added. That filing will likely occur sometime in the second quarter.