AT&T today reported net income of $3.1 billion in the third quarter.
The profit, which amounted to 50 cents per share, compared with $2.2 billion earned in the July-September period last year. The year-earlier earnings worked out to 56 cents a share because the company had fewer shares outstanding.
Revenue nearly doubled to $30.1 billion in the third quarter from $15.6 billion a year earlier.
The stock of America's largest telecommunications company rose 45 cents, or about 1 per cent, to $41.62 in early trading.
Although most of the dramatic quarterly gains were the result of the completed merger with Bellsouth, AT&T reported continued growth in its wireless revenue.
The company also saw continued large gains in wireless data revenue as more customers took advantage of messaging, media bundles and other smart phone features, the company said.
For the first nine months of the year, AT&T revenue reached $31 billion, up 21 per cent from the $25.5 billion last year. Net income, at $8.8 billion, is up 63 per cent from the $5.4 billion during the same period last year.