Contact Center Solutions Featured Article

Alltel, which is being acquired by Verizon Wireless, is experiencing strong growth and that has prompted it to expand its contact center operations.

 

Arkansas Business reported on Tuesday that Alltel will be adding 130 jobs to its technical support center in Mankato, Minnesota. The firm told the newspaper it will start recruiting in December and begin training employees in January 2009.

 

Alltel obtained the contact center as part of its deal to purchase Midwest Wireless Holdings, based in Mankato. Alltel recently reopened the center that already employs 280 people after renovation.

 

The company attributed the work force augmentation to the quality of Minnesota's work force and to strong sales. The wireless firm reported solid customer growth in the third quarter 2008, adding more than one million gross customers for the fourth consecutive quarter-- a 28 percent increase from a year ago. Net customer additions increased 63 percent year-over-year.

 

Added customers, plus strong growth in data income-- data revenue per wireless customer was $8.99, up 42 percent year-over-year-- helped Alltel’s total revenues to grow 10 percent to $2.5 billion from the same period a year ago. Consolidated EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) increased by 13 percent to $929.8 million from the same period.

 

On the downside, the company reported a loss of $55.2 million, driven by interest costs and depreciation and amortization expense increases following completion of its merger with an affiliate of TPG Capital and GS Capital Partners.

 

“The Alltel team delivered another terrific quarter, and I continue to admire their ability to execute in a fiercely competitive marketplace,” says President and Chief Executive Officer, Scott Ford. “Once again we had strong customer additions and record consolidated EBITDA.”