CenturyTel, Inc. Q3 2007 Earnings Call Transcript

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2007-11-02 00:36:32.0

Tags: CenturyTel

Question-and-Answer Session

Operator

: Thank you sir. [Operator Instructions]. First question comes from Michael McCormack from Bear Stearns.

: Michael McCormack: Bear Stearns: Hey guys, how is it going? Just looking into sort of the impacts in 2008 and I know you are not giving guidance here, but if you are looking at year-over-year impact from access line loss as well as USF and access revenue pressures. Is there anything to be thinking about that 08 will be different than 07 or is it sort of the same kind of impacts we have seen historically?

Glen F. Post, III - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Mike, I don't know of any real changes here. We do see that in the markets where we see a combination rolling out in the last six months we are losing lines there, where we... competition has... of the line loss increases there. Where we have had competition... voice competition in markets more than six months, we are seeing those losses decline pretty significantly. So we'll see some initial hits this is Voice over IP continue to roll out in certain markets but once they are in place for six months or so we are turning that around seeing the losses decline. So we will see some more roll out. We are in the 32% to 37% range as far as our Voice over IP competition today and I think we can see that go up may be the 45% range over the next 12, 18 months. So we'll see that continue to hit us some, but I don't see any major catalyst for change here.

: Michael McCormack: Okay, just last thing, have you guys seen any impact at all from the housing weakness?

Glen F. Post, III - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Not really, the housing release is not impacted in our markets.

: Michael McCormack: Great, thanks guys.

Operator

Our next question comes from Jonathan Chaplin from J.P. Morgan Securities.

Jonathan Chaplin - J.P. Morgan

Thanks, just two quick questions if I may on the reduction in USF receipts, it sounded like the entire $0.08 to $0.10 introduction you are looking at there is really driven by... you are not factoring the impact of lower access lines it sounds like it's really just driven by the loss of... the increase from the average cost of loop and the loss of the safety net support. I just wanted to make sure that was the case and if it's not the case, how much of that access line loss you are factoring into that? And then it looks like your voice ARPU was up in the quarter fairly decently and I am wondering what the driver might be there? Thanks.

 

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