Suddenlink reported a significantly slowed rate of decrease in its number of basic video customers in the first quarter, losing only 6,400, compared with a loss of 35,000 in Q4 2014, its first three-month period after dropping Viacom channels.
"Our results verify the success of our video strategy," said Suddenlink CEO Jerry Kent in a conference call with investors Friday morning, also noting that the St. Louis-based MSO added a company record 24,600 overall customers in Q1.
"We've clearly regained our momentum," Kent added. "I'm really proud of the way our management team and frontline personnel reacted to our decision to challenge the video services model."
Suddenlink broke off negotiations with Viacom to carry MTV, Comedy Central, BET, Nickelodeon, Spike TV and other top conglomerate networks last October.
For the quarter, Suddenlink's revenue increase 2.2 percent in Q1 2015, to $588.3 million, with average monthly revenue per video subscriber (ARPU) increasing 6.7 percent vs. Q1 2014, to $172.73.
The MSO has just over 1.132 million video subscribers, down about 55,000 in one year. It added 34,500 broadband users in the first quarter, compared with 43,600 in Q1 2014. Revenue from high-speed Internet services increased 14.2 percent.
Suddenlink also added 9,600 residential phone customers, vs. 14,200 in Q1 2014.
For more:
- visit this Suddenlink investor relations site
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