T-Mobile Loses More Contract Customers, Awaits iPhone, MetroPCS Deal Closure

T-Mobile continues to lose contract customers, although gains in prepaid business meant that the company’s overall ranks grew slightly last quarter.

The No. 4 U.S. carrier said it managed to add 61,000 total customers for the quarter, as an increase in prepaid customers offset the losses in the traditional business. Total revenue for the quarter was $4.9 billion, up sequentially from the prior quarter but down 5.2 percent from a year ago. Operating income before certain expenses was down 15 percent sequentially and 25 percent year-on-year. T-Mobile said it is looking forward to both the closure of its MetroPCS merger, expected in the first half of the year, as well as the ability to start selling Apple gear sometime in 2013.