Shenandoah Telecommunications Company Announces Strong 2015 Year End Customer Results

January 19, 2016 at 8:30 AM EST

  • Record Postpaid Wireless Net Additions in Fourth Quarter
  • Improved Churn for Both Fourth Quarter and the Year

EDINBURG, Va., Jan. 19, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Shenandoah Telecommunications Company ("Shentel") (NASDAQ:SHEN) announces 2015 year end customer results.

Wireless Segment

The Company announced that net postpaid subscriber additions for fiscal year 2015 were 24,645, an increase of 74.2% from 14,146 in 2014. Year-end postpaid customers increased 8.6% to 312,512. The Company's 2015 annual postpaid churn rate was 1.47%.  Net postpaid subscriber additions totaled a record 8,985 in the fourth quarter of 2015, compared to 4,891 for the fourth quarter of 2014. Shentel's postpaid churn rate in the fourth quarter was 1.48%, compared to 1.92% in the same quarter last year. 

The Company recorded prepaid net deactivations of 2,264 in the fourth quarter of 2015, as compared to 5,036 net activations in the 2014 fourth quarter, and 2,322 net deactivations for fiscal 2015, as compared to 8,115 net activations in fiscal 2014. Prepaid customers decreased 1.6% to 142,840 in 2015.    While the overall total of prepaid subscribers decreased during 2015, the Company's more profitable product lines continued to add customers, with customer decreases concentrated in its least profitable product lines.

The following tables show selected operating statistics of the Wireless segment as of the dates shown:

 December 31,December 31,
 20152014
Retail PCS Subscribers - Postpaid312,512 287,867
Retail PCS Subscribers - Prepaid142,840145,162


 Three Months
Ended
Twelve Months
Ended
 December 31,December 31,
  2015  2014  2015  2014 
     
Gross PCS Subscriber Additions - Postpaid 22,590  21,313  77,067  72,891 
Net PCS Subscriber Additions - Postpaid 8,985  4,891  24,645  14,146 
Gross PCS Subscriber Additions - Prepaid 19,990  22,155  83,796  74,838 
Net PCS Subscriber Additions - Prepaid (2,264) 5,036  (2,322) 8,115 
PCS Average Monthly Retail Churn % - Postpaid 1.48% 1.92% 1.47% 1.76%
PCS Average Monthly Retail Churn % - Prepaid 5.16% 4.02% 4.93% 4.00%
             

President and CEO Christopher E. French commented, "We are particularly encouraged by the growth in our postpaid customer additions for the year, especially the record postpaid additions in the fourth quarter.  In addition to our organic growth, our acquisition of nTelos is expected to more than double Shentel's wireless customer base by enhancing our presence in the Mid-Atlantic region through the addition of a highly complementary footprint."

Cable Segment

Shentel Cable's net additions to Revenue Generating Units (RGUs) decreased to 4,355 in fiscal year 2015 from 7,876 for fiscal year 2014. Year-end cable RGUs increased 3.6% to 126,071.  Fourth quarter 2015 cable net additions were 889, compared to 1,250 cable net additions in the fourth quarter of 2014.

The following tables show selected operating statistics of the Cable segment as of the dates shown:

 December 31,December 31,
 20152014
Video RGUs50,21552,095
High-speed Internet RGUs55,69051,359
Voice RGUs20,16618,262
Total RGUs126,071121,716


 Three Months
Ended
Twelve Months
Ended
 December 31,December 31,
 2015201420152014
     
Gross RGU Additions8,8569,14439,19639,402
Net RGU Additions8891,2504,3557,876
     

Additional Information

The following table shows additional selected statistics as of the dates shown:

 December 31,December 31,
 20152014
Local access lines20,25221,612
DSL subscribers13,08612,742
Wireless cell site towers owned154154
Fiber route miles4,5804,390
   

About Shenandoah Telecommunications

Shenandoah Telecommunications Company (Shentel) provides a broad range of diversified telecommunications services through its high speed, state-of-the-art network to customers in the Mid-Atlantic United States.  The Company's services include: wireless voice and data; cable video, internet and voice; fiber network and services; and local and long distance telephone. Shentel is the exclusive personal communications service ("PCS") Affiliate of Sprint in portions of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.  For more information, please visit www.shentel.com.   

This release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to various risks and uncertainties. The Company's actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements as a result of unforeseen factors. A discussion of factors that may cause actual results to differ from management's projections, forecasts, estimates and expectations is available in the Company filings with the SEC. Those factors may include changes in general economic conditions, increases in costs, changes in regulation and other competitive factors.

CONTACTS:



Shenandoah Telecommunications, Inc.

Adele Skolits

CFO and VP of Finance

540-984-5161

Adele.skolits@emp.shentel.com



Or



John Nesbett/Jennifer Belodeau

Institutional Marketing Services (IMS)

203-972-9200

jnesbett@institutionalms.com

Source: Shenandoah Telecommunications Co

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