Business description of ATN-INTERNATIONAL-INC from last 10-k form


 SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

        This Annual Report on Form 10-K contains statements about future events and expectations, or forward-looking statements, all of which are inherently uncertain. We have based those forward-looking statements on our current expectations and projections about future results. When we use words such as "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "expects," or similar expressions, we do so to identify forward-looking statements. Examples of forward-looking statements include statements we make regarding our business operations and plans with respect to our Alltel network, future economic and political conditions in Guyana, the competitive environment in the markets in which we operate, legal and regulatory actions and technological changes, our future prospects for growth, our ability to maintain or increase our market share, our future operating results and our future capital expenditure levels. These statements are based on our management's beliefs and assumptions, which in turn are based on currently available information. These assumptions could be proven inaccurate. These forward-looking statements may be found under the captions "Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations," "Risk Factors" and "Business," as well as in this Report generally.

        You should keep in mind that any forward-looking statement made by us in this Report or elsewhere speaks only as of the date on which we make it. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and it is impossible for us to predict these events or how they may affect us. In any event, these and other important factors may cause actual results to differ materially from those indicated by our forward-looking statements, including those set forth in Item 1A of this Report under the caption "Risk Factors." We have no duty to, and do not intend to, update or revise the forward-looking statements made by us in this Report after the date of this Report, except as may be required by law.

        In this Report the words "ATN," "the Company," "we," "our," "ours" and "us" refer to Atlantic Tele-Network, Inc. and its subsidiaries. Alltel® is a licensed trademark used by one of our subsidiaries. This Report contains trademarks, service marks and trade names that are the property of Atlantic Tele-Network, Inc., and its subsidiaries or licensed from others.

        Reference to dollars ($) refer to U.S. dollars unless otherwise specifically indicated.


PART I

ITEM 1.    BUSINESS

Overview

        We provide wireless and wireline telecommunications services in North America, Bermuda and the Caribbean. Through our operating subsidiaries, we offer the following principal services:

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    Wireless.  In the United States, we offer wireless voice and data services to retail customers under the "Alltel" name in rural markets located principally in the Southeast and Midwest. Additionally, we offer wholesale wireless voice and data roaming services to national, regional, local and selected international wireless carriers in rural markets located principally in the Southwest and Midwest United States. We also offer wireless voice and data services to retail customers in Guyana under the "Cellink" name, in Bermuda under the "CellOne" name, and in other smaller markets in the Caribbean and the United States.

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    Wireline.  Our local telephone and data services include our operations in Guyana and the mainland United States. We are the exclusive licensed provider of domestic wireline local and long distance telephone services in Guyana and international voice and data communications into and out of Guyana. We also offer facilities-based integrated voice and data communications services to enterprise and residential customers in New England, primarily in Vermont, and wholesale transport services in New York State.

        We were incorporated in Delaware in 1987 and began trading publicly in 1991. Since that time, we have engaged in strategic acquisitions and investments to grow our operations. From 1998 through 2005, a significant majority of our revenue was derived from our wireless and wireline operations in Bermuda and the Caribbean. In the past six years, we have grown our revenue, added substantially to the diversity of our business and greatly reduced our historical dependence on our international operations. We entered the U.S. mainland telecommunications market through the 2005 acquisition of an operator of a wholesale wireless network in rural portions of the Southwest and Midwest and we continued our U.S. expansion with the 2006 acquisition of a wireline provider of voice and data services in New England. In 2008, we increased our previous minority investment in a voice and data services provider in Bermuda to a controlling interest and began providing wholesale transport services in the U.S. and wireless services in new Caribbean markets. In addition to the growth of our business through acquisition, we have further emphasized our focus on our U.S. operations with increased capital investment in and growth of our wholesale wireless business.

        In the second quarter of 2010, we completed the acquisition of a portion of the former Alltel network from Verizon Wireless through our U.S. retail wireless business, which now provides wireless voice and data services in rural markets of the United States under the "Alltel" brand name (the "Alltel Acquisition"). Since 2005, revenue from our U.S. operations has grown significantly, both as a percentage of consolidated revenue and overall. As a result of our Alltel Acquisition, a substantial majority of our consolidated revenue is now generated in the United States, mainly through mobile wireless operations.

        In the second quarter of 2011, the Company continued its expansion by completing the merger of its Bermuda operations with M3 Wireless, Ltd., a leading retail wireless provider in Bermuda. We continue to evaluate additional investment and acquisition opportunities in the United States and the Caribbean that meet our return-on-investment and other acquisition criteria.

        We provide management, technical, financial, regulatory, and marketing services to our subsidiaries and typically receive a management fee equal to a percentage of their revenues, which is eliminated in consolidation. For information about our financial segments and geographical information about our operating revenues and assets, see Note 14 to the Consolidated Financial Statements included in this Report.

        Our principal corporate offices are located at 600 Cummings Center, Beverly, Massachusetts, 01915. The telephone number at our principal corporate offices is (978) 619-1300.


Strategy

        The key elements of our strategy consist of the following:

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    Focus on Providing Wireless and Wireline Telecommunications Services.  We are focused on providing wireless and wireline voice and data services to residential, business and carrier customers across a variety of geographic and demographic markets. We have provided these services to our customers for approximately twenty years and have demonstrated our ability to grow both customers and revenues by maintaining quality networks, improving service and increasing the number of wireline and wireless products and services offered to these customers. We believe these sectors provide significant opportunities for recurring cash flows and organic and external growth.

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    Target Underserved Markets Where We Can Compete Successfully.  We operate in smaller, rural or underserved markets where we believe we are or will be one of the leading providers of telecommunications services. Our businesses typically have strong local brand identities and market positions. By leveraging these attributes, along with our lower cost of capital and our senior management expertise at the holding company level, we seek to improve and expand available products and services in our targeted markets to better meet the needs of our customers and expand our customer base and revenues.

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    Partner with Successful Local Owner/Operators.  Wherever feasible, we partner with local management teams who have demonstrated a successful track record. We believe that strong local management enhances our close relationship with customers and reduces risk. Our geographically diverse businesses are all operated, and often partially owned, by local managers, employees or investors. We seek to enhance our strong market position by maintaining these partnerships and by leveraging our extensive management experience to assist them in further improving operations.

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    Maintain a Disciplined Earnings-Oriented Approach.  We carefully assess the potential for earnings stability and growth when we evaluate the performance of our subsidiaries, new investment opportunities and prospective acquisitions or dispositions. In managing our more mature businesses, we seek to solidify our brands, improve customer satisfaction, add new services, control costs and preserve cash flow. In managing newer, early stage businesses, we seek to invest capital to improve our competitive position, increase market share and generate strong revenue and cash flow. We consider new investments and acquisitions on a disciplined, return-on-investment basis.