(Telecompaper) AT&T reported nearly flat revenues for the first quarter, due to tough competition in the mobile market and the sale of some of its wireline activities. Revenues were up just 0.3 percent year-on-year to USD 32.6 billion. If the divested Connecticut wireline properties are excluded, revenues rose 1.2 percent. Operating profit fell to USD 5.5 billion from USD 6.3 billion a year ago, hurt by a rise in costs for reducing staff and merger and integration expenses. Net profit dropped to USD 3.2 billion or USD 0.61 per diluted share, compared to USD 3.7 billion or USD 0.70 per share in the year-ago quarter. This includes 3 cents a share for voluntary employee separations, 4 cents for merger and integration expenses and a 5-cent gain from a tax item. After capital expenditures of USD 4.0 billion, free cash flow totaled USD 2.8 billion. AT&T said it was on track to meet its full-year guidance and close the acquisition of DirecTV in the second quarter. The company also increased the expected cost synergies from the acquisition to USD 2.5 billion per year, compared to an estimate of USD 1.6 billion when the deal was announced last year.