More bad news for Fairpoint Communications (NYSE: FRP). more

Mobile Internet is one of the fastest growing revenue segments for mobile operators across the world, driven by access fees and data traffic, according to ABI Research. While the economy caused mobile end-user average revenue per user (ARPU) to take a global nosedive in the fourth quarter of 2008, the North American market was spared thanks to the growth in smartphones and resulting mobile data usage. more

While telecom operators are feeling the hurt from the economic recession, the pain isn’t as bad as that felt by their suppliers.  According to an analysis of telecom-sector first-quarter earnings by Ovum, operating revenues from mobile operators grew 3.4% last quarter, while those of fixed-line operators dropped 3.2%–both lower than pre-recession levels. Though the declines were modest, those same operators slashed their capital expenditure budgets. Wireline operators cut capex by 16% in the first quarter, while mobile operators cut a whopping 27%. more