On accelerating revenue growth of 7.1 percent, Bell Atlantic Corp.‘s net income increased 10 percent for the first quarter of 2000, to $1.3 billion from $1.2 billion in 1999. Also, adjusted earnings per diluted share (EPS) rose 9.6 percent to 80 cents from 73 cents in the first quarter of 1999. Other highlights of the three-month period include: data revenue growth of 31.8 percent, to $892 million; net customer additions of 290,000 at Bell Atlantic Mobile, with 28.9-percent revenue growth; doubled sales of Infospeed DSL(sm) service, ending the quarter with more than 60,000 digital subscriber lines (DSL) in service; and continued strong international wireless growth, with 365,000 proportionate net customer additions.
“This was a terrific quarter, in which we continued to accelerate our revenue growth,” says Chairman/CEO Ivan Seidenberg. “Not only are our growth engines firing on all cylinders, but our traditional business is continuing to expand as well. We’re going into our combination with Vodafone AirTouch and our merger with GTE with terrific momentum.”
