On the Sprint platform, the mobile operator added a net 356,000 new customers in the quarter, almost all in prepaid, for a total 53.9 million at the end of March. This was offset by the loss of 771,000 Nextel customers, which numbered 1.3 million at the end of the period. ARPU on the Sprint network continued to improve, reaching USD 63.67 for postpaid customers and USD 25.95 for prepaid. This was helped by growing smartphone penetration, including 1.5 million iPhones sold in the quarter. Sprint said 43 percent of iPhone sales were to customers new to the company.
Sprint said it was on track to shut down the Nextel network at the end of June, while its Network Vision programme is also progressing, with the number of sites on air growing from 8,000 at its last report in February to 13,500 today. LTE is already available in 88 cities and will reach 170 in the coming months.
The company said it expects to reach the high end of its forecast for adjusted OIBDA this year of USD 5.2-5.5 billion, excluding any costs for the proposed takeover of the group and Clearwire.
