Nextel Partners service revenue doubles

Wireless communications operator Nextel Partners said Monday that its fourth-quarter net loss widened but service revenue more than doubled, as it added more customers than expected. The company said its net loss widened to $78.2 million, or 33 cents a share, from $75.3 million, or 32 cents a share, a year earlier. Its loss from operations increased to $49.3 million, including stock-based compensation of $7.6 million, from $47.3 million a year ago. Service revenue rose to $116 million from $51.3 million. It said earlier this month that it added 81,700 customers in the fourth quarter, compared with 75,300 customers in the third quarter, with expectations of 78,000.

It ended the year with a total customer base of 515,900, as average monthly revenue per user for the quarter remained among the industry's highest at $70. Customer turnover was among the industry's lowest at 1.6 percent.

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