Sprint announces Q4 2011 results: the iPhone brings in new customers

February 8 2012 by Mat Smith in Contributors |Comments Off

Following its bittersweet Q3, the latest financial report from Sprint this quarter offers up another mixed bag of news. Net operating losses totalled $438 million, more than the $139 million posted in the same quarter last year. It made a $1.3 billion net loss, dwarfing the Q3′s $301 million losses. Operating revenue increases were, however, the largest in the last five years. Net subscribers now total 55 million, with 33 million postpaid, 14.8 million prepaid and around 7.2 million arriving from wholesale — it added an extra 1.6 million customers in the last quarter. Sprint hoped to see its iPhone draw customers into its network, putting it toe-to-toe with the bigger carriers, and it largely did, with 40 percent of 1.8 million iPhones sold landing directly in the hands of new customers. Last year also saw the tentative launch of Sprint’s LTE network, and that’s where the future appears to be for the carrier, with it’s forward-looking statement hinging on exactly how fast they’re able to grab the 4G bull by the horns and get it into their customers’ hands. Compatibility with Clearwire’s next generation network is mentioned here, and as is the “financial performance of Clearwire and its ability to build, operate, and maintain its 4G network.”