SPOTLIGHT: Merrill Lynch expects strong net adds in Q2

Merrill Lynch analysts have concluded another trek to U.S. phone and network retailers to determine how strong net adds are going to be in the second quarter. Lynch says volumes appear healthy for the quarter, with Verizon Wireless continuing to grab share across the board and Cingular performing well. Alltel also looks like it has some momentum. And Merrill Lynch believes T-Mobile is going to come up short on subscriber additions. The firm estimates that subscriber growth will slow, from 25.5 million net additions in 2005 to 23 million in 2006, for an ending subscriber growth rate of about 11 percent year-over-year and 77 percent penetration. Article