EX-99 3 tdsq303pr.htm

Exhibit 99.1

As previously announced, TDS and its subsidiaries will hold a joint teleconference on October 22, 2003, at 10:00 am Chicago time. Interested parties may listen to the call live over the Internet by accessing the conference call page of the Investor Relations section in www.teldta.com.


Contact: Mark A. Steinkrauss, Vice President, Corporate Relations
  (312) 592-5384 mark.steinkrauss@teldta.com

  Ruth E. Venning, Director, Corporate Relations
  (312) 592-5327 ruth.venning@teldta.com

  Julie D. Mathews, Manager, Investor Relations
  (312) 592-5341 julie.mathews@teldta.com


FOR RELEASE: IMMEDIATE

TDS REPORTS CERTAIN OPERATING DATA FOR THIRD QUARTER;
REVIEWING EFFECT OF SFAS NO. 150 IMPLEMENTATION ON FULL RESULTS


October 22, 2003 — Chicago, Illinois — Telephone and Data Systems, Inc. [AMEX:TDS] reported operating revenues of $874.8 million for the third quarter of 2003, up 12% from $784.1 million in the comparable period a year ago. Operating income increased 44% to $135.5 million from $94.2 million in the third quarter of 2002.

President’s Comments
“Our wireless and wireline businesses continued to perform well in the third quarter with respect to their business strategies of delivering profitable growth and top-notch customer service,” said LeRoy T. Carlson, Jr., president and chief executive officer. “U.S. Cellular’s operating income increased 55% from the third quarter a year ago. A significant contributor to this improved operating income performance was the successful completion of the billing system conversion in the Chicago market, which has already generated cost savings and will continue to do so going forward. Another important element of U.S. Cellular’s strategy is to deliver the very best in customer service. The company was quite successful in this regard as well, with postpay churn of only 1.6% for the quarter, one of the best churn rates in the industry.

“In addition, U.S. Cellular made significant strides during the third quarter in strengthening its competitive position with the properties it acquired in the exchange of wireless assets with AT&T Wireless in August. This transaction improves U.S. Cellular’s competitive position, with the addition of properties in or adjacent to some of the company’s existing markets.

“However, the net subscriber additions for the quarter were not as robust as anticipated, and so consequently, we are reducing the net subscriber guidance for the full year. The remainder of the full-year guidance remains mostly unchanged.



“TDS Telecom grew total revenues over 6% for the quarter, while growing its operating income over 22%. Our traditional ILEC business continued to grow its equivalent access lines, as well as its long distance and DSL (digital subscriber line) businesses, posting revenue growth of 4% for the quarter. Telecom’s CLEC business grew revenues 16% and, for the third consecutive quarter, recorded positive operating income before depreciation and amortization. This is a significant achievement for our CLEC operation and highlights its ability to aggressively grow revenue in a slow economy while curtailing expense growth. Additionally, our CLEC’s capital intensity is declining as its market build-out costs are behind it,” Carlson said.

Outlook
The companies have reviewed their forward-looking statements, and the revised statements for the year 2003 are as follows:


U.S. Cellular 2003 Outlook

Net adds 450,000 - 475,000
Service revenues $2.35 - $2.4 billion
Depreciation and amortization $435 - $440 million
Operating income* $180 - $200 million
Capital spending $650 - $670 million

*Includes $26 million in operating expenses related to loss on assets held
for sale related to the completed AWE exchange

ILEC 2003 Outlook

Revenues $635 - $645 million
Depreciation and amortization $135 million
Operating income $170 - $180 million
Capital spending $130 million

CLEC 2003 Outlook
Revenues $210 - $220 million
Depreciation and amortization $35 million
Operating income $(35) - $(25) million
Capital spending $30 million

SFAS 150
The company changed the date of its full financial results announcement to allow it to review recent guidance regarding the implementation of SFAS 150, “Accounting for Certain Instruments with Characteristics of both Liabilities and Equity.” SFAS 150 is effective for the company in the third quarter of 2003. The guidance relates to the recent interpretation of the treatment of minority interests held by third parties in certain consolidated joint ventures under SFAS 150. SFAS 150 may apply to certain minority interests in partnerships in which U.S. Cellular has a controlling interest. To the extent SFAS 150 applies, the company will need to reflect the minority interests as liabilities at their fair value, and to recognize a cumulative non-cash charge to earnings at the beginning of the third quarter of 2003 based on the difference between such fair value and the carrying values of the respective minority interests. On a going forward basis, SFAS 150 will require the carrying values of such minority interests to be adjusted to fair value each quarter, and also require that these adjustments be reflected as interest charges in the company’s income statement.

While the company’s operating results down to and including operating income will not be impacted by SFAS 150, TDS is unable to release its full financial results until it determines that it is in full compliance with all aspects of SFAS 150 and has implemented it in accordance with all of its provisions.


2


Financial Initiatives
TDS redeemed $65.5 million of its Medium-Term Notes at par on July 28, 2003 and $300 million of 8.5% and 8.04% Trust Originated Preferred Securities (“TOPrSSM”) on September 2, 2003.

TDS, a FORTUNE 500 company, is a diversified telecommunications corporation founded in 1969. Through its strategic business units, U.S. Cellular and TDS Telecom, TDS operates primarily by providing wireless and local telephone service. TDS builds value for its shareholders by providing excellent communications services in growing, closely related segments of the telecommunications industry. The company currently employs approximately 10,800 people and serves approximately 5.3 million customers/units in 35 states.

Safe Harbor Statement Under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995: All information set forth in this news release, except historical and factual information, represents forward-looking statements. This includes all statements about the company’s plans, beliefs, estimates and expectations. These statements are based on current estimates and projections, which involve certain risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that may affect these forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: changes in circumstances or events that may affect the ability of USM to acquire or, if it acquires, to start up the operations of the properties involved in the AWE transaction; the ability of USM to successfully manage and grow the operations of the Chicago MTA; changes in the overall economy; changes in competition in the markets in which TDS and USM operate; advances in telecommunications technology; changes brought about by the implementation of local number portability; changes in the telecommunications regulatory environment; changes in the value of investments, including variable prepaid forward contracts; changes in the capital markets that could adversely impact the availability, cost and terms of financing; an adverse change in the ratings afforded TDS and USM debt securities by nationally accredited ratings organizations; pending and future litigation; acquisitions/divestitures of properties and/or licenses; changes in customer growth rates, average service revenue per unit, churn rates, roaming rates and the mix of products and services offered in TDS and USM markets. Investors are encouraged to consider these and other risks and uncertainties that are discussed in documents filed by TDS with the SEC.

This press release reports certain third quarter and nine month operating data and does not include complete financial statements for these periods. The complete financial statements will be included in the company’s Form 10-Q for the quarter when it is filed. Any investment decisions should not be based solely on this data and should be based only on the complete information to be included in the Form 10-Q and other company filings with the SEC.

As previously announced, TDS and its subsidiaries will hold a joint teleconference on October 22, 2003, at 10:00 am Chicago time. Interested parties may listen to the call live over the Internet at http://www.firstcallevents.com/service/ajwz390314455gf12.html or connect by telephone at 888/245-6674 Passcode # 3207689 for TDS and USM. The conference call will be archived on the conference call section of our Web site at www.teldta.com. Certain financial and statistical information contained in the conference call presentation will be posted to the web site, together with reconciliations of GAAP to any non-GAAP information to be disclosed, prior to the commencement of the call. Investors may access this additional information on the conference call page of the Investor Relations section of the TDS web site.


For more information about TDS and its subsidiaries, visit the web sites at:

TDS: http://www.teldta.com TDS Telecom: http://www.tdstelecom.com
USM: http://www.uscellular.com TDS Metrocom http://www.tdsmetro.com

3


TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS, INC.
SUMMARY OPERATING DATA


Quarter Ended      9/30/03    6/30/03    3/31/03    12/31/02    9/30/02  
U.S. Cellular:  
Consolidated Markets:  
    Total population (000s) (1)    45,817    41,288    41,288    41,048    41,048  
    Customer units    4,268,000    4,343,000    4,240,000    4,103,000    3,943,000  
    Net customer unit activations    66,000    103,000    137,000    160,000    76,000  
    Market penetration (1)    9.32 %  10.52 %  10.27 %  10.00 %  9.61 %
    Markets in operation (2)    141    150    149    149    149  
    Cell sites in service    4,082    4,106    3,987    3,914    3,750  
    Average monthly revenue per unit (3)   $ 49.05   $ 47.38   $ 45.05   $ 47.91   $ 49.31  
       Retail service revenue per unit (3)   $ 39.57   $ 38.69   $ 37.05   $ 38.69   $ 38.95  
       Inbound roaming revenue per unit (3)   $ 4.65   $ 4.41   $ 4.36   $ 5.37   $ 6.52  
       Long-distance/other revenue per unit (3)   $ 4.83   $ 4.28   $ 3.64   $ 3.85   $ 3.84  
    Minutes of use (MOU) (4)    435    424    377    359    327  
    Postpay churn rate per month (5)    1.6 %  1.5 %  1.6 %  1.8 %  2.0 %
    Marketing cost per gross  
       customer unit addition (6)   $ 405   $ 378   $ 358   $ 369   $ 348  
    Construction Expenditures (000s)   $ 135,111   $ 163,076   $ 140,926   $ 281,615   $ 192,256  

(1) Market penetration is calculated using 2002 Claritas population estimates for 9/30/03, 6/30/03 and 3/31/03 and 2001 Claritas estimates for all other periods. "Total population" represents the total incremental population of each of U.S. Cellular's consolidated markets, regardless of whether the market has begun marketing operations. The 9/30/03 total population amounts exclude the population of the 10 markets transferred to AWE in August 2003 and include the population of the 14 markets acquired from AWE in August 2003.
(2) Represents only those markets which have begun marketing operations.
(3) Per unit revenue measurements are derived from Service Revenues for each respective quarter as follows:

(dollars in thousands)
       Retail service revenue during quarter     $ 506,983   $ 498,176   $ 464,341   $ 464,633   $ 443,290  
       Inbound roaming revenue during quarter    59,638    56,840    54,606    64,533    74,243  
       Long-distance/other revenue during quarter    61,819    55,093    45,654    46,221    43,707  

       Service Revenues   $628,440   $610,109   $564,601   $575,387   $561,240  
       Equipment sales revenues    28,903    29,701    31,313    26,546    18,546  

           U.S. Cellular Operating Revenues as reported   $ 657,343   $ 639,810   $ 595,914   $ 601,933   $ 579,786  

   
       Divided by average customers during
         quarter (000s)
    4,271    4,292    4,178    4,003    3,794  
       Divided by three months in each quarter    3    3    3    3    3  
   
       Retail service revenue per unit   $ 39.57   $ 38.69   $ 37.05   $ 38.69   $ 38.95  
       Inbound roaming revenue per unit   $ 4.65   $ 4.41   $ 4.36   $ 5.37   $ 6.52  
       Long-distance/other revenue per unit   $ 4.83   $ 4.28   $ 3.64   $ 3.85   $ 3.84  

           Average monthly revenue per unit   $ 49.05   $ 47.38   $ 45.05   $ 47.91   $ 49.31  

(4) Average monthly local minutes of use (without roaming)
(5) Postpay churn rate per month is calculated by dividing the average monthly postpay customer disconnects during the quarter by the average postpay customer base for the quarter.
(6) The numerator of this calculation is the sum of Marketing and Selling Expenses and Cost of Equipment Sold, less Equipment Sales Revenues (excluding agent rebates related to customer retention), for each respective quarter. The numerator is then divided by the number of gross customers activated on the U.S. Cellular network for each respective quarter to arrive at marketing cost per gross customer unit addition.


4


TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS, INC.
SUMMARY OPERATING DATA


Quarter Ended      9/30/03    6/30/03    3/31/03    12/31/02    9/30/02  
TDS Telecom  
    ILEC:  
    Access line equivalents (1)    721,600    718,800    713,800    711,200    714,400  
    Growth in equivalent ILEC access lines  
       from prior quarter-end:  
           Acquisitions                    7,800  
           Internal growth    2,800    5,000    2,600    (3,200 )  600  
    Access lines    668,200    669,600    669,900    672,400    677,400  
    Average monthly revenue  
       per access line equivalent (2)   $ 76.25   $ 74.35   $ 74.68   $ 76.34   $ 74.39  
    Internet service accounts    115,600    116,700    118,100    117,600    118,400  
    Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL) customers    19,300    16,200    12,800    9,100    8,100  
    Long Distance customers    218,600    211,900    202,100    197,500    189,200  
    Caller I.D. penetration (3)    32.4 %  31.8 %  31.3 %  30.9 %  30.3 %
    Voicemail penetration (3)    13.4 %  13.3 %  13.2 %  13.4 %  13.5 %
    Construction Expenditures (000s)   $ 32,007   $ 29,288   $ 15,412   $ 35,540   $ 36,484  
    CLEC:  
    Access line equivalents - total CLECs (1)    346,500    323,600    303,900    291,400    273,100  
       TDS Metrocom    260,200    242,300    227,500    220,200    206,200  
       USLink    86,300    81,300    76,400    71,200    66,900  
    Internet service accounts    23,600    23,900    24,500    24,700    24,700  
    Percent of access lines on-switch:  
       TDS Metrocom    100.0 %  100.0 %  100.0 %  100.0 %  100.0 %
       U.S. Link    28.5 %  23.1 %  20.7 %  20.6 %  20.2 %
    Digital Subscriber Lines (DSL):  
       TDS Metrocom    17,600    14,100    13,100    11,800    10,300  
    Construction Expenditures (000s)   $ 7,999   $ 5,504   $ 3,705   $ 16,216   $ 9,653  

(1) Access line equivalents are derived by converting high capacity data lines to the estimated capacity of one switched access line. Basic rate ISDN = 2 DS0s; Primary rate ISDN = 23 DS0s; T1 = 24 DS0s; Trunk Lines = 1; DSLs = 1
(2) Per access line equivalent revenue measurements are derived from Operating Revenues for each respective quarter as follows:

(dollars in thousands)
       Local Telephone Operations ("ILEC")     $ 164,650   $ 159,805   $ 159,597   $ 163,254   $ 158,961  
       Competitive Local Exchange Carrier Operations    53,468    52,479    52,439    51,088    45,998  
       Intercompany eliminations    (707 )  (807 )  (532 )  (651 )  (643 )

           TDS Telecom Operating Revenues as reported   $ 217,411   $ 211,477   $ 211,504   $ 213,691   $ 204,316  

       Divided by average ILEC equivalent access lines  
           during quarter (000s)    719.8    716.4    712.4    712.8    712.3  
       Divided by three months in each quarter    3    3    3    3    3  
 
       Average monthly revenue per ILEC
            access line equivalent
   $ 76.25   $ 74.35   $ 74.68   $ 76.34   $ 74.39  

(3) Caller I.D. and Voicemail penetration is the total residential and business one-party customers purchasing the service divided by the total of these lines equipped for the service.


5


TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS, INC.
Certain Operating Data
Three Months Ended September 30,

(Unaudited, dollars in thousands)


Increase (Decrease)

2003 2002 Amount Percent




Operating Revenues                    
     U.S. Cellular   $ 657,343   $ 579,786   $ 77,557    13.4%
     TDS Telecom    217,411    204,316    13,095    6.4%



     874,754    784,102    90,652    11.6%



Operating Expenses  
     U.S. Cellular  
        Expenses excluding Depreciation and Amortization    459,590    414,213    45,377    11.0%
        Depreciation and Amortization    102,164    102,876    (712 )  (0.7% )
        Loss on Assets Held for Sale    (1,442 )      (1,442 )  N/M  



     560,312    517,089    43,223    8.4%



     TDS Telecom  
        Expenses excluding Depreciation and Amortization    138,319    132,470    5,849    4.4%
        Depreciation and Amortization    40,604    40,333    271    0.7%



     178,923    172,803    6,120    3.5%



           Total Operating Expenses    739,235    689,892    49,343    7.2%



Operating Income  
     U.S. Cellular    97,031    62,697    34,334    54.8%
     TDS Telecom    38,488    31,513    6,975    22.1%



    $135,519   $94,210   $41,309    43.8%


TELEPHONE AND DATA SYSTEMS, INC.
Certain Operating Data
Nine Months Ended September 30,

(Unaudited, dollars in thousands)


Increase (Decrease)

2003 2002 Amount Percent




Operating Revenues                    
     U.S. Cellular   $ 1,893,067   $ 1,582,545   $ 310,522    19.6%  
     TDS Telecom    640,392    587,197    53,195    9.1%  



     2,533,459    2,169,742    363,717    16.8%  



Operating Expenses  
     U.S. Cellular  
        Expenses excluding Depreciation and Amortization    1,407,270    1,086,863    320,407    29.5%  
        Depreciation and Amortization    314,938    252,037    62,901    25.0%  
        Loss on Assets Held for Sale    25,558        25,558    N/M  



     1,747,766    1,338,900    408,866    30.5%  



     TDS Telecom  
        Expenses excluding Depreciation and Amortization    400,301    389,266    11,035    2.8%  
        Depreciation and Amortization    122,462    118,707    3,755    3.2%  



     522,763    507,973    14,790    2.9%  



           Total Operating Expenses    2,270,529    1,846,873    423,656    22.9%  



Operating Income  
     U.S. Cellular    145,301    243,645    (98,344 )  (40.4% )
     TDS Telecom    117,629    79,224    38,405    48.5%  



    $262,930   $322,869   $(59,939 )  (18.6% )


N/M - Percentage change not meaningful

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TDS Telecom Highlights
Certain Operating Data
Three Months Ended September 30,

(Unaudited, dollars in thousands)


Increase (Decrease)

2003 2002 Amount Percent




Local Telephone Operations                    
       Operating Revenues  
           Local Service   $ 50,370   $ 49,324   $ 1,046    2.1%  
           Network Access and Long-Distance    91,050    88,139    2,911    3.3%  
           Miscellaneous    23,230    21,498    1,732    8.1%  



     164,650    158,961    5,689    3.6%  



       Operating Expenses  
           Network Operations    41,240    37,097    4,143    11.2%  
           Customer Operations    23,723    23,677    46    0.2%  
           Corporate Expenses    20,848    19,432    1,416    7.3%  
           Depreciation and Amortization    32,059    32,907    (848 )  (2.6% )



     117,870    113,113    4,757    4.2%  



 
       Operating Income   $ 46,780   $ 45,848   $ 932    2.0%  



   
Competitive Local Exchange Carrier Operations  
       Revenues   $ 53,468   $ 45,998   $ 7,470    16.2%  



       Expenses excluding Depreciation and Amortization    53,215    52,907    308    0.6%  
       Depreciation and Amortization    8,545    7,426    1,119    15.1%  



     61,760    60,333    1,427    2.4%  



   
       Operating (Loss)   $ (8,292 ) $ (14,335 ) $ 6,043    42.2%  


TDS Telecom Highlights
Certain Operating Data
Nine Months Ended September 30,

(Unaudited, dollars in thousands)


Increase (Decrease)

2003 2002 Amount Percent




Local Telephone Operations                    
       Operating Revenues  
           Local Service   $ 149,163   $ 143,599   $ 5,564    3.9%  
           Network Access and Long-Distance    269,140    257,108    12,032    4.7%  
           Miscellaneous    65,749    62,826    2,923    4.7%  



     484,052    463,533    20,519    4.4%  



       Operating Expenses  
           Network Operations    119,219    102,791    16,428    16.0%  
           Customer Operations    69,481    67,682    1,799    2.7%  
           Corporate Expenses    62,123    70,130    (8,007 )  (11.4% )
           Depreciation and Amortization    97,799    97,409    390    0.4%  



     348,622    338,012    10,610    3.1%  



   
       Operating Income   $ 135,430   $ 125,521   $ 9,909    7.9%  



   
Competitive Local Exchange Carrier Operations  
       Revenues   $ 158,386   $ 125,514   $ 32,872    26.2%  



       Expenses excluding Depreciation and Amortization    151,524    150,513    1,011    0.7%  
       Depreciation and Amortization    24,663    21,298    3,365    15.8%  



     176,187    171,811    4,376    2.5%  



   
       Operating (Loss)   $ (17,801 ) $ (46,297 ) $ 28,496    61.6%  

N/M - Percentage change not meaningful

7