NTT, AT&T, Verizon topped 2012's revenue charts, says Infonetics

NTT, AT&T (NYSE: T) and Verizon (NYSE: VZ), a new Infonetics report reveals, were the three dominant revenue generators in world's top 60 service providers.

"NTT, which passed AT&T as the top revenue-generating service provider in 2011, remains the number-one service provider in the world in terms of revenue and capital expenditures, and in 2012 it became the leader in terms of operating expenses as well," said Maria Zeppetella, market analyst manager at Infonetics Research and lead analyst on the report.

Despite NTT's lead, AT&T and Verizon continue to be strong domestic and global players.

AT&T reported in 2012 revenues of $127.4 billion with ongoing gains in next-gen consumer and business services such as Ethernet. It also made its boldest capex announcement in 2012 with the announcement of its $14 billion Project VIP initiative, which will expand both wireless and wireline capabilities.  

Verizon, meanwhile, reported that 2012 revenues rose 4.5 percent to $115.8 billion. Like AT&T, it saw gains in its FiOS subscribers and IP-based business services such as cloud and Ethrernet.

Of course, AT&T and Verizon face some key challenges, especially on the business services side, due to the ongoing economic crisis in the U.S. and in Europe.

But one company that the telcos need to fear is Comcast (Nasdaq: CMCSA), which Infonetics says is "the only pure cable operator among the top 10 revenue generators."

For more:
- see the release

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