ARCH COMMUNICATIONS GROUP INC /DE/
10-Q, 2000-05-15
RADIOTELEPHONE COMMUNICATIONS
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                   QUARTERLY REPORT UNDER SECTION 13 0R 15 (d)
                     OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                                  UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    Form 10-Q

            (Mark One)

             [X] Quarterly Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                  For the quarterly period ended March 31, 2000
                                       or
             [ ] Transition Report Pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
                         For the transition period from
                         ______________ to _____________



                     Commission File Numbers 0-23232/1-14248

                         Arch Communications Group, Inc.
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its Charter)

           DELAWARE                            31-1358569
     (State of incorporation)      (I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

                         1800 West Park Drive, Suite 250
                        Westborough, Massachusetts             01581
               (address of principal executive offices)     (Zip Code)

                                 (508) 870-6700
              (Registrant's telephone number, including area code)


Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required
to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during
the  preceding  12 months or for such  shorter  period that the  Registrant  was
required  to file  such  reports,  and  (2)  has  been  subject  to such  filing
requirements for the past 90 days. Yes [X] No [ ]

Indicate the number of shares  outstanding  of each of the  issuer's  classes of
common  stock,  as of the  latest  practicable  date:  63,694,324  shares of the
Company's  Common Stock ($.01 par value) and  2,712,185  Shares of the Company's
Class B Common Stock ($.01 par value) were outstanding as of May 9, 2000.



<PAGE>


                         ARCH COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC.
                          QUARTERLY REPORT ON FORM 10-Q
                                      INDEX



PART I.   FINANCIAL INFORMATION                                          Page
                                                                         ----
Item 1.   Financial Statements:

          Consolidated Condensed Balance Sheets as of March 31,
          2000 and December 31, 1999                                        3

          Consolidated Condensed Statements of Operations for the
          Three Months Ended March 31, 2000 and 1999                        4

          Consolidated Condensed Statements of Cash Flows for the
          Three Months Ended March 31, 2000 and 1999                        5

          Notes to Consolidated Condensed Financial Statements              6

Item 2.   Management's Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition
          and Results of Operations                                         8

Item 3.   Quantitative and Qualitative Disclosures About Market Risk       16

PART II.  OTHER INFORMATION

Item 1.   Legal Proceedings                                                16
Item 2.   Changes in Securities and Use of Proceeds                        16
Item 3.   Defaults upon Senior Securities                                  16
Item 4.   Submission of Matters to a Vote of Security Holders              16
Item 5.   Other Information                                                16
Item 6.   Exhibits and Reports on Form 8-K                                 17


                                       2
<PAGE>


                          PART I. FINANCIAL INFORMATION

ITEM 1.   FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

                         ARCH COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC.
                      CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED BALANCE SHEETS
                                 (in thousands)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                    March 31,     December 31,
                                                      2000           1999
                                                      ----           ----
                                  ASSETS           (unaudited)
<S>                                                <C>            <C>
   Current assets:
        Cash and cash equivalents                  $     4,222    $     3,161
        Accounts receivable, net                        59,071         61,167
        Inventories                                      9,514          9,101
        Prepaid expenses and other                      12,772         11,874
                                                   -----------    -----------
            Total current assets                        85,579         85,303
                                                   -----------    -----------
   Property and equipment, at cost                     742,440        714,644
   Less accumulated depreciation and amortization     (357,319)      (314,445)
                                                   -----------    -----------
   Property and equipment, net                         385,121        400,199
                                                   -----------    -----------
   Intangible and other assets, net                    824,768        867,543
                                                   -----------    -----------
                                                   $ 1,295,468    $ 1,353,045
                                                   ===========    ===========

                 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT)

   Current liabilities:
        Current maturities of long-term debt       $    11,154    $     8,060
        Accounts payable                                41,586         30,016
        Accrued restructuring                           14,556         17,111
        Accrued interest                                31,322         30,294
        Accrued expenses and other liabilities          70,358         79,330
                                                   -----------    -----------
            Total current liabilities                  168,976        164,811
                                                   -----------    -----------
   Long-term debt, less current maturities           1,169,954      1,322,508
                                                   -----------    -----------
   Other long-term liabilities                          81,051         83,285
                                                   -----------    -----------
   Stockholders' equity (deficit):
        Preferred stock-- $.01 par value                     3              3
        Common stock-- $.01 par value                      632            512
        Additional paid-in capital                     817,478        661,413
        Accumulated deficit                           (942,626)      (879,487)
                                                   -----------    -----------
            Total stockholders' equity (deficit)      (124,513)      (217,559)
                                                   -----------    -----------
                                                   $ 1,295,468    $ 1,353,045
                                                   ===========    ===========
</TABLE>





        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated
                        condensed financial statements.

                                       3
<PAGE>


                         ARCH COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC.
                 CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
        (unaudited and in thousands, except share and per share amounts)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                             Three Months Ended
                                                                   March 31,
                                                            2000             1999
                                                            ----             ----

<S>                                                    <C>             <C>
Service, rental, and maintenance revenues              $    177,660    $     90,529
Product sales                                                12,335          10,359
                                                       ------------    ------------
   Total revenues                                           189,995         100,888
Cost of products sold                                        (8,880)         (6,926)
                                                       ------------    ------------
                                                            181,115          93,962
                                                       ------------    ------------
Operating expenses:
   Service, rental, and maintenance                          39,115          20,293
   Selling                                                   25,045          13,011
   General and administrative                                53,934          25,626
   Depreciation and amortization                             90,707          51,118
                                                       ------------    ------------
     Total operating expenses                               208,801         110,048
                                                       ------------    ------------
Operating income (loss)                                     (27,686)        (16,086)
Interest expense, net                                       (42,506)        (26,477)
Equity in loss of affiliate                                    --            (3,200)
                                                       ------------    ------------
Income (loss) before extraordinary item and
    accounting change                                       (70,192)        (45,763)
Extraordinary gain from early extinguishment of debt          7,615            --
Cumulative effect of accounting change                         --            (3,361)
                                                       ------------    ------------
Net income (loss)                                           (62,577)        (49,124)
Preferred stock dividend                                       (562)           (513)
                                                       ------------    ------------
Net income (loss) to common stockholders               $    (63,139)   $    (49,637)
                                                       ============    ============

Basic/diluted net income (loss) per common share
    before extraordinary item and accounting change    $      (1.28)   $      (6.54)
Extraordinary gain per basic/diluted common share              0.14            --
Cumulative effect of accounting change per
    basic/diluted common share                                 --             (0.48)
                                                       ------------    ------------
Basic/diluted net income (loss) per common share       $      (1.14)   $      (7.02)
                                                       ============    ============
Basic/diluted weighted average number of
    common shares outstanding                            55,316,698       7,071,861
                                                       ============    ============

</TABLE>




        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated
                        condensed financial statements.

                                       4
<PAGE>


                         ARCH COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC.
                 CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
                          (unaudited and in thousands)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                        Three Months Ended
                                                             March 31,
                                                         2000         1999
                                                         ----         ----
<S>                                                   <C>          <C>
   Net cash provided by operating activities          $  31,915    $  12,379
                                                      ---------    ---------

   Cash flows from investing activities:
      Additions to property and equipment, net          (30,858)     (21,125)
      Additions to intangible and other assets           (1,996)      (4,403)
      Net proceeds from sale of tower site assets          --            618
                                                      ---------    ---------
   Net cash used for investing activities               (32,854)     (24,910)
                                                      ---------    ---------

   Cash flows from financing activities:
      Issuance of long-term debt                         18,000       23,000
      Repayment of long-term debt                       (16,000)        --
                                                      ---------    ---------
   Net cash provided by financing activities              2,000       23,000
                                                      ---------    ---------

   Net increase in cash and cash equivalents              1,061       10,469
   Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period         3,161        1,633
                                                      ---------    ---------
   Cash and cash equivalents, end of period           $   4,222    $  12,102
                                                      =========    =========

   Supplemental disclosure:
      Interest paid                                   $  29,057    $  20,212
                                                      =========    =========
      Accretion of discount on senior notes           $   9,428    $   9,942
                                                      =========    =========
      Issuance of common stock in exchange for debt   $ 155,623    $    --
                                                      =========    =========
</TABLE>
















        The accompanying notes are an integral part of these consolidated
                        condensed financial statements.

                                       5
<PAGE>

                         ARCH COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC.
              NOTES TO CONSOLIDATED CONDENSED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
                                   (unaudited)


     (a)  Preparation  of  Interim  Financial   Statements  -  The  consolidated
condensed  financial  statements of Arch  Communications  Group,  Inc. have been
prepared in accordance  with the rules and  regulations  of the  Securities  and
Exchange Commission.  The financial  information included herein, other than the
consolidated  condensed balance sheet as of December 31, 1999, has been prepared
by management  without audit by  independent  accountants  who do not express an
opinion thereon.  The consolidated  condensed balance sheet at December 31, 1999
has been derived from,  but does not include all the  disclosures  contained in,
the audited  consolidated  financial  statements for the year ended December 31,
1999. In the opinion of management,  all of these unaudited  statements  include
all  adjustments  and  accruals  consisting  only of  normal  recurring  accrual
adjustments  which are necessary for a fair  presentation  of the results of all
interim  periods  reported  herein.   These  consolidated   condensed  financial
statements  should  be read  in  conjunction  with  the  consolidated  financial
statements and accompanying  notes included in Arch's Annual Report on Form 10-K
for the year ended  December 31, 1999. The results of operations for the periods
presented are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be expected for
a full year.

     (b)  Intangible  and Other Assets -  Intangible  and other  assets,  net of
accumulated amortization, are comprised of the following (in thousands):

                                                    March 31,    December 31,
                                                      2000           1999
                                                   -----------    ----------
                                                   (unaudited)
     Goodwill                                        $238,149      $249,010
     Purchased FCC licenses                           341,419       354,246
     Purchased subscriber lists                       219,947       239,114
     Deferred financing costs                          20,293        19,915
     Other                                              4,960         5,258
                                                     --------      --------
                                                     $824,768      $867,543
                                                     ========      ========

     (c)  Divisional  Reorganization  - As of March 31, 2000,  423 employees had
been  terminated due to the divisional  reorganization  and  restructuring.  The
Company's  restructuring  activity  as of  March  31,  2000  is as  follows  (in
thousands):

                                Reserve Balance   Utilization of
                                at December 31,     Reserve in        Remaining
                                     1999             2000             Reserve
                                 ------------      ------------     ------------

     Severance costs                 $1,030           $  159           $  871
     Lease obligation costs           5,198              585            4,613
                                     ------           ------           ------
       Total                         $6,228           $  744           $5,484
                                     ======           ======           ======


                                       6
<PAGE>


     (d)  MobileMedia  Acquisition  Reserve - As of March 31,  2000,  229 former
MobileMedia employees had been terminated.  The Company's restructuring activity
as of March 31, 2000 is as follows (in thousands):

                                Reserve Balance   Utilization of
                                at December 31,     Reserve in        Remaining
                                     1999             2000             Reserve
                                 ------------      ------------     ------------

     Severance costs                $ 2,678           $1,339           $1,339
     Lease obligation costs           7,828              454            7,374
     Other costs                        377               18              359
                                    -------           ------           ------
       Total                        $10,883           $1,811           $9,072
                                    =======           ======           ======


     (e) Debt Exchanged for Equity - In February and March 2000,  Arch completed
transactions  in which Arch issued an  aggregate  of  11,926,036  shares of Arch
common stock in exchange for approximately $160.9 million accreted value of debt
securities.  Under one of the exchange agreements, Arch issued 285,715 shares of
common stock in exchange for $3.5 million  principal  amount of Arch convertible
debentures.   Arch  recorded  $2.4  million  of  non-cash  interest  expense  in
conjunction with this  transaction.  Under the other exchange  agreements,  Arch
issued 11,640,321 shares of common stock in exchange for $157.4 million accreted
value  ($176.0  million  maturity  value) of its  senior  discount  notes.  Arch
recorded an extraordinary  gain of $7.6 million on the early  extinguishment  of
debt as a result of these transactions.

     (f) Subsequent Event - On May 10, 2000, Arch announced it had completed its
agreement with  Resurgence  Asset  Management  L.L.C.  for the exchange of $91.1
million  accreted value ($100.0 million maturity value) of senior discount notes
held by  various  Resurgence  entities  for  1,000,000  shares of a new class of
Arch's  preferred  stock to be called  Series D  preferred  stock.  The Series D
preferred stock will:

   o  be convertible at the holder's  option,  at any time, into an aggregate of
      6,613,180 shares of common stock;
   o  be subject to mandatory  conversion into an aggregate of 6,613,180  shares
      of common stock upon completion of Arch's pending merger with PageNet;
   o  if not earlier  converted,  commencing  March 15, 2001,  bear  semi-annual
      dividends  at the rate of 107/8%  per annum,  payable at Arch's  option in
      cash or through the issuance of a new class of Arch's  preferred  stock to
      be called Series E preferred stock;
   o  be subject to mandatory redemption on March 15, 2008 if redemption is then
      permitted by applicable law;
   o  vote with the common stock on an as converted basis; and
   o  rank upon  liquidation  senior to the  common  stock and on a parity  with
      Arch's existing Series C preferred stock.

   If Arch  issues  Series E  preferred  stock  as a  dividend  on the  Series D
preferred  stock, the Series E preferred stock will be identical to the Series D
preferred stock except that it will not (1) be subject to conversion into common
stock, (2) have any voting rights as required by law or (3) bear dividends.

   Resurgence has agreed to sell  approximately  $53.9 million maturity value of
senior  discount notes to a third party to be selected by Resurgence  that will,
in turn, exchange such notes for 3,562,189 shares of common stock at an exchange
ratio of 66.1318  shares per $1,000  note.  This  transaction  is expected to be
completed in mid-June.


                                       7
<PAGE>

ITEM 2.   MANAGEMENT'S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND
          RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

   This Form 10-Q contains  forward-looking  statements.  For this purpose,  any
statements  contained  herein that are not statements of historical  fact may be
deemed to be  forward-looking  statements.  Without limiting the foregoing,  the
words "believes",  "anticipates", "plans", "expects" and similar expressions are
intended to identify forward-looking statements. There are a number of important
factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ  materially from
those indicated or suggested by such forward-looking  statements.  These factors
include,  without  limitation,  those set forth below under the caption "Factors
Affecting Future Operating Results".

PENDING PAGENET MERGER

   In November 1999,  Arch signed a definitive  agreement  with Paging  Network,
Inc.  (PageNet)  pursuant  to  which  PageNet  will  merge  with a  wholly-owned
subsidiary  of Arch.  Each  outstanding  share of PageNet  common  stock will be
converted into 0.1247 shares of Arch common stock.

   The merger  will be  accompanied  by  recapitalizations  of Arch and  PageNet
through  exchange  offers by Arch and PageNet to exchange common stock for debt.
In the Arch exchange  offer,  Arch will offer to exchange  shares of Arch common
stock  for each of Arch's  outstanding  107/8%  senior  discount  notes.  In the
PageNet exchange offer,  PageNet will offer to exchange shares of PageNet common
stock  and  shares  of  Class B  common  stock  of  PageNet's  subsidiary,  Vast
Solutions, Inc., for PageNet's outstanding senior subordinated notes. The shares
of PageNet  common stock  received by PageNet  noteholders  will  immediately be
converted into shares of Arch common stock as a result of the merger.

   The merger  agreement also provides that PageNet will  distribute up to 11.6%
of the total  equity  of Vast to its  current  stockholders.  As a result of the
related  exchange offer,  PageNet's note holders will receive up to 68.9% of the
equity  interest in Vast.  The  combined  company will retain up to 19.5% of the
equity interest in Vast following the merger.

   Under the merger agreement,  the Arch board of directors at the closing would
consist  of 12  individuals,  at least six of whom  would be  designated  by the
existing Arch board of directors. The PageNet board of directors would designate
three  members,  and the three  largest  holders of PageNet  Notes would each be
entitled to designate one member. To the extent any such holder of PageNet Notes
did not elect to designate a director, the number of directors designated by the
Arch board of directors would increase.

   Arch expects the merger,  which has been  approved by the boards of directors
of Arch and PageNet,  the  Anti-Trust  Division of the Department of Justice and
the Federal Communications  Commission,  but is subject to shareholder approval,
other  third-party  consents and the  completion of the exchange  offers,  to be
completed in the third quarter of 2000.

   Under the merger  agreement,  PageNet is required to include a  "prepackaged"
plan of reorganization  under Chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the materials
relating  to the  PageNet  exchange  offer,  and to  solicit  consents  for this
prepackaged plan from holders of the PageNet Notes and its senior creditors.  In
certain  circumstances PageNet has agreed either to file the prepackaged plan in
lieu of completing the PageNet exchange offer or to pay Arch a termination fee.

POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF THE PAGENET MERGER

   If Arch acquires  PageNet on the terms described  above, the combined company
will have substantially larger assets, liabilities,  revenues and expenses. On a
pro forma  basis at December  31,  1999,  the  combined  company  would have had
approximately  15.5 million  units in service,  total assets of $2.9 billion and
total  long  term debt of $1.8  billion,  assuming  that all of the  outstanding
discount notes are exchanged for common stock.

   The PageNet merger is subject to stockholder,  noteholder and lender consents
and many other  conditions and,  therefore,  it may not take place. If Arch does
not  acquire  PageNet,  the  contemplated  benefits  of the  merger  will not be
realized,  despite the incurrence of substantial  transaction  costs,  which are

                                       8
<PAGE>

estimated at $10.0 million each for Arch and PageNet. If the merger agreement is
terminated after Arch pursues an alternative  offer, Arch may be required to pay
PageNet a termination fee of $40.0 million.

RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

   Total revenues  increased  $89.1 million,  or 88.3%, to $190.0 million in the
three months ended March 31, 2000 from $100.9  million in the three months ended
March 31, 1999, as the number of units in service  increased from 4.3 million at
March 31, 1999 to 6.9 million at March 31, 2000 entirely due to the  MobileMedia
acquisition  in June 1999.  Net revenues  (total  revenues less cost of products
sold) increased to $181.1 million,  a 92.8% increase,  in the three months ended
March 31,  2000 from $94.0  million for the  corresponding  1999  period.  Total
revenues  and net revenues in 1999 and 2000 were  adversely  affected by (1) the
declining  demand for basic  paging  services and (2)  subscriber  cancellations
which led to a decrease of 80,000 units in service during the three months ended
March 31, 2000.

   Arch  expects  revenue  to  continue  to be  adversely  affected  in  2000 by
declining  demand for basic  numeric  and  alphanumeric  paging  services.  Arch
believes that the basic paging industry grew by only 4% during 1999, that demand
for basic paging  services will decline in 2000 and the following years and that
any  significant  future growth in the industry will be attributable to advanced
messaging  services.  As a result,  Arch believes that it will  experience a net
decline in the number of its units in service in 2000, excluding the addition of
subscribers from the pending PageNet acquisition, as Arch's addition of advanced
messaging  subscribers  is likely  to be  exceeded  by its loss of basic  paging
subscribers.

   Service,  rental  and  maintenance  revenues,   which  consist  primarily  of
recurring  revenues  associated  with the sale or lease of  messaging  services,
increased to $177.7  million in the three months ended March 31, 2000 from $90.5
million in the three months ended March 31, 1999. This increase was due entirely
to the acquisition of MobileMedia in June 1999. Maintenance revenues represented
less than 10% of total  service,  rental and  maintenance  revenues in the three
months  ended  March 31,  2000 and 1999.  Arch  does not  differentiate  between
service and rental revenues.

   Service,  rental  and  maintenance  expenses,   which  consist  primarily  of
telephone, third party carrier fees and site rental expenses, increased to $39.1
million,  21.6% of net  revenues,  in the three months ended March 31, 2000 from
$20.3 million,  21.6% of net revenues, in the three months ended March 31, 1999.
The  increase  was due  primarily  to  increased  expenses  associated  with the
provision of wireless messaging services to a greater number of units due to the
MobileMedia acquisition. Annualized service, rental and maintenance expenses per
unit in service  increased  to $23 in the three months ended March 31, 2000 from
$19 in the three months ended March 31, 1999.  This increase is due primarily to
the provision of  alphanumeric  and  nationwide  messaging  services to a higher
percentage of customers due to the MobileMedia acquisition.

   Selling expenses  increased to $25.0 million,  13.8% of net revenues,  in the
three months ended March 31, 2000 from $13.0 million,  13.8% of net revenues, in
the  three  months  ended  March  31,  1999  due  primarily  to the  MobileMedia
acquisition.

   General and administrative  expenses increased to $53.9 million, 29.8% of net
revenues, in the three months ended March 31, 2000 from $25.6 million,  27.3% of
net  revenues,  in the three months  ended March 31, 1999.  The increase was due
primarily to the MobileMedia acquisition.

   Depreciation  and  amortization  expenses  increased to $90.7  million in the
three months  ended March 31, 2000 from $51.1  million in the three months ended
March 31, 1999. The increase in these expenses was  principally  attributable to
additional  depreciation  associated  with assets  purchased in the  MobileMedia
acquisition and amortization  expense associated with intangibles which resulted
from the MobileMedia acquisition.

   Operating loss increased to $27.7 million in the three months ended March 31,
2000 from $16.1  million in the three months ended March 31, 1999 as a result of
the factors outlined above.

   Net interest  expense  increased  to $42.5  million in the three months ended
March 31, 2000 from $26.5 million in the three months ended March 31, 1999.  The
increase was attributable to an increase in Arch's average  outstanding debt due


                                       9
<PAGE>

to the  MobileMedia  acquisition  and to a lesser extent to a one-time charge of
$2.4 million in relation to the convertible debt for equity  exchange.  Interest
expense in the three months ended March 31, 2000 and 1999 includes approximately
$9.4 million and $9.9 million,  respectively,  of non-cash interest accretion on
Arch's discount notes.

   In the three months ended March 31, 2000,  Arch  recognized an  extraordinary
gain of $7.6 million on the retirement of debt exchanged for common stock.

   On January 1, 1999, Arch adopted the Accounting Standards Executive Committee
of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants  Statement of Position
98-5 (SOP 98-5). SOP 98-5 requires costs of start-up activities and organization
costs to be expensed as incurred.  Initial application of SOP 98-5 resulted in a
$3.4 million charge which was reported as the  cumulative  effect of a change in
accounting principle. This charge represents the unamortized portion of start-up
and organization costs which had been deferred in prior years.

   Net losses  increased  to $62.6  million in the three  months ended March 31,
2000 from $49.1  million in the three months ended March 31, 1999 as a result of
the factors outlined above.

LIQUIDITY AND CAPITAL RESOURCES

   Arch's business  strategy  requires the availability of substantial  funds to
finance the expansion of existing  operations,  to fund capital expenditures for
messaging  devises  and  system  equipment,  to  service  debt  and  to  finance
acquisitions.

Capital Expenditures and Commitments

   Arch's capital expenditures  increased from $25.5 million in the three months
ended March 31, 1999 to $32.9  million in the three months ended March 31, 2000.
These capital expenditures  primarily include the purchase of wireless messaging
devices, system and transmission equipment,  information systems and capitalized
financing  costs.  Arch generally has funded its capital  expenditures  with net
cash provided by operating  activities and the incurrence of debt. Arch believes
that  it  will  have  sufficient  cash  available  from  operations  and  credit
facilities to fund its capital expenditures for the remainder of the year.

FACTORS AFFECTING FUTURE OPERATING RESULTS

   The following  important  factors,  among  others,  could cause Arch's actual
operating  results to differ  materially  from those  indicated  or suggested by
forward-looking  statements  made in this Form 10-Q or  presented  elsewhere  by
Arch's management from time to time.

Continued net losses are likely and Arch cannot predict whether it will ever be
profitable

   Arch has reported net losses in the past.  Arch expects that it will continue
to report net losses and cannot give any  assurance  about when,  if ever, it is
likely to attain profitability.

   Arch has reported net losses in all of the periods shown in the table below:

                                                                      Three
                                                                   Months Ended
                                   Year Ended December 31,           March 31,
                                 1997       1998        1999           2000
                                 ----       ----        ----           ----
                                              (dollars in millions)
   Net income (loss)           $(181.9)    $(206.1)    $(285.6)       $(62.6)

   These  historical  net losses  have  resulted  principally  from  substantial
depreciation and amortization  expense,  primarily  related to intangible assets
and messaging device depreciation, interest expense and other costs of growth.

   Many  of  the  factors  that  will  determine  whether  or not  Arch  attains
profitability are inherently  difficult to predict.  These include  competition,
subscriber turnover, new service developments and technological change.



                                       10
<PAGE>

Declines in units in service are likely

   Cancellation  of units in service  can  significantly  affect the  results of
operations of wireless communications service providers. The sales and marketing
costs associated with attracting new subscribers are substantial compared to the
costs  of  providing  service  to  existing  customers.   Because  the  wireless
communications  business is  characterized  by high fixed  costs,  cancellations
directly and adversely affect earnings before interest,  taxes, depreciation and
amortization.  In the three  months  ended March 31, 2000,  Arch  experienced  a
decrease of 80,000 units in service.  Arch believes that the traditional  paging
industry grew by only 4% during 1999, that demand for basic paging services will
continue to decline in 2000 and in the following  years and that any significant
future growth in the paging industry will be attributable to advanced  messaging
services.  As a result,  Arch believes that it will  experience a net decline in
the number of units in service in 2000,  excluding  the addition of  subscribers
from  the  PageNet  acquisition,   as  Arch's  addition  of  advanced  messaging
subscribers is likely to be exceeded by its loss of basic paging subscribers.

Revenues and operating results may fluctuate, leading to fluctuations in trading
prices and possible liquidity problems

   Arch believes that future  fluctuations in its revenues and operating results
may occur due to many  factors.  Arch's  current and planned  expenses  and debt
repayment levels are, to a large extent,  fixed in the short term, and are based
in part on its expectations as to future revenues and cash flow growth. Arch may
be unable to adjust spending in a timely manner to compensate for any revenue or
cash flow  shortfall.  It is possible that, due to future  fluctuations,  Arch's
revenue,  cash  flow or  operating  results  may not  meet the  expectations  of
securities analysts or investors. This may have a material adverse effect on the
price of Arch's common stock.  If shortfalls  were to cause Arch not to meet the
financial  covenants  contained in its debt  instruments,  the debtholders could
declare a default and seek immediate repayment.

Leverage may continue to burden operations

   Arch has been highly  leveraged,  and will remain  leveraged to a substantial
degree  following the PageNet  merger.  The following  table  compares the total
debt, total assets and latest  three-month  annualized  adjusted earnings before
interest,  taxes,  depreciation  and  amortization  (EBITDA) of Arch at or as of
March 31, 2000.

                                                 (dollars in millions)
     Total debt                                        $ 1,181.1
     Total assets                                      $ 1,295.5
     Annualized adjusted EBITDA                        $   252.1

   Adjusted EBITDA is not a measure defined by GAAP and should not be considered
in  isolation  or as a  substitute  for  measures  of  performance  prepared  in
accordance  with  GAAP.   Adjusted  EBITDA,  as  determined  by  Arch,  may  not
necessarily be comparable to similarly  titled data of other wireless  messaging
companies.

   Leverage may have the following adverse consequences for Arch:
   o  This leverage may impair  Arch's  ability to obtain  additional  financing
      necessary for acquisitions, working capital, capital expenditures or other
      purposes on acceptable terms, if at all.
   o  A substantial portion of Arch's cash flow will be required to pay interest
      expense; this will reduce the funds which would otherwise be available for
      operations and future business opportunities.
   o  Arch's credit facilities and indentures  contain financial and restrictive
      covenants;  the  failure to comply with these  covenants  may result in an
      event of default which could have a material adverse effect on Arch if not
      cured or waived.
   o  Any degree of leverage will make Arch more vulnerable to a downturn in its
      business or the economy generally than if it were not as leveraged.

Arch may not be able to reduce its financial leverage as it intends, and may not
be able to achieve an  appropriate  balance  between  growth  which it considers
acceptable and future reductions in financial  leverage.  If Arch is not able to


                                       11
<PAGE>

achieve  continued growth in adjusted EBITDA, it may be precluded from incurring
additional indebtedness due to cash flow coverage requirements under existing or
future debt instruments.

Growth and acquisition strategy

   Arch believes that the wireless communications industry has experienced,  and
will  continue to  experience,  consolidation  due to factors that favor larger,
multi-market  companies,  including:
   o  the ability to obtain additional radio spectrum;
   o  greater access to capital markets and lower costs of capital;
   o  broader geographic coverage of wireless messaging systems;
   o  economies  of scale in the  purchase  of capital  equipment;
   o  operating efficiencies; and
   o  enhanced access to executive personnel.

   Arch has  pursued,  and may  continue  to pursue,  acquisitions  of  wireless
communications  businesses as a key component of its growth  strategy.  However,
the  process  of  integrating   acquired   businesses  may  involve   unforeseen
difficulties and may require a disproportionate amount of the time and attention
of Arch's management.  No assurance can be given that suitable  acquisitions can
be identified,  financed and completed on acceptable  terms,  or that any future
acquisitions by Arch will be successful.

   Implementation  of Arch's growth  strategy will be subject to numerous  other
contingencies beyond the control of its management.  These contingencies include
national and regional economic conditions, interest rates, competition,  changes
in  regulation  or  technology  and the  ability to attract  and retain  skilled
employees.  Accordingly,  no assurance can be given that Arch's growth  strategy
will prove effective or that its goals will be achieved.

Amortization  charges  from  the  PageNet  merger  and the  earlier  MobileMedia
acquisition may reduce Arch's earnings sooner than management expects

   Under the purchase  method of accounting  for the pending  PageNet merger and
the  acquisition of  MobileMedia  Communications,  Inc. in June 1999,  Arch must
record a substantial amount of goodwill and other intangible  assets.  This will
result in substantial  amortization  charges to the consolidated  income of Arch
over the  useful  lives of those  assets.  Arch  estimates  the  amount of those
charges will total approximately $57.0 million per year for ten years.  However,
actual charges in the early years could  adversely  affect  reported  results of
operations more than is currently  anticipated if the useful lives of the assets
are less than currently estimated.

The  PageNet  merger may not take place.  If it does not take  place,  Arch will
incur  substantial  costs  and its  investors  will not  enjoy  the  anticipated
benefits of the merger

   The PageNet  merger will not take place unless many  conditions are satisfied
or waived. These conditions include stockholder and noteholder approvals and the
availability  of senior credit  facilities.  If the PageNet merger does not take
place,  the contemplated  benefits of the merger will not be realized,  and Arch
will  not  enjoy  the  anticipated  benefits  of the  merger  despite  incurring
substantial  transaction  costs.  If the PageNet merger  agreement is terminated
after  Arch  pursues  an  alternative  offer,  Arch  may  be  required  to pay a
termination fee of $40.0 million.

Arch may need additional capital to expand its business which could be difficult
to obtain

   Arch's  business  strategy  requires  substantial  funds to be  available  to
finance  the  continued  development  and  future  growth and  expansion  of its
operations, including possible acquisitions.  Arch's future capital requirements
will depend on factors that include:
   o  subscriber growth;
   o  the type of  wireless  communications  devices  and  services  demanded by
      customers;
   o  technological developments;


                                       12
<PAGE>

   o  marketing and sales expenses;
   o  competitive conditions;
   o  the nature and timing of Arch's narrowband personal communications service
      strategy; and
   o  acquisition strategies and opportunities.

         Arch cannot be certain that additional equity or debt financing will be
available  to Arch when needed on  acceptable  terms,  if at all. If  sufficient
financing is unavailable  when needed,  Arch may be unable to develop or enhance
its  products,  take  advantage  of future  opportunities,  grow its business or
respond to competitive pressures or unanticipated needs.

Competition and  technological  change may undermine  Arch's market position and
adversely affect its results of operations

   Arch  may  not be  able to  compete  successfully  with  current  and  future
competitors in the wireless communications business or with competitors offering
alternative communication technologies. In particular:

   Competition from large companies may intensify and may reduce Arch's revenues
   and operating margins

      Arch may face significant additional competition in the future. This could
   have a material  adverse effect on its revenues and earnings before interest,
   taxes,  depreciation  and  amortization.  Some  competitors  possess  greater
   financial,  technical  and  other  resources  than  those of Arch.  Increased
   competition  from  broadband  personal   communications   service  providers,
   cellular  providers,  digital  specialized mobile radio providers,  dedicated
   data networks and wireless  information delivery service providers has led to
   competition from increasingly larger and better capitalized  competitors.  In
   addition,  Arch competes with the many other providers of paging and advanced
   messaging  services.  If any of such  competitors  were to devote  additional
   resources  to  the  wireless  communications  business  or  focus  on  Arch's
   historical  business segments,  they could secure Arch's customers and reduce
   demand for its products.  This could  materially  reduce  Arch's  revenue and
   operating margins.

   New send and receive  wireless  messaging  technology  may  adversely  affect
   Arch's competitive position

      Competitors  are  currently  using and  developing  a variety  of send and
   receive wireless messaging technologies. Arch currently resells such send and
   receive  services  over the network of a  competitor.  Due to the  relatively
   recent  availability  of send and receive  messaging  products and  services,
   there have not yet been sales which would be sufficient  to fully  indicate a
   proven demand for such services among business or consumer subscribers.  Such
   services  will compete with other  available  methods of  telecommunications,
   including cellular and broadband personal communications  services, which are
   commonly referred to as PCS, as well as specialized mobile radio services and
   services provided over dedicated data networks which use hand-held devices to
   send and receive data.  Although these services are primarily focused on send
   and receive voice  communications,  they may include wireless messaging as an
   adjunct  service  or may  replace  the need for  send and  receive  messaging
   entirely.  It is less  expensive  for an end user to obtain a cellular or PCS
   unit with data capability than the send and receive messaging units currently
   available.  This is because the  nationwide  cellular and PCS  carriers  have
   subsidized  the  purchase  of these units and  because  prices for  broadband
   services have been  declining  rapidly,  making the two types of services and
   product offerings more comparable.

      Future  technological   advances  in  the   telecommunications   industry,
   including these send and receive messaging technologies,  as well as wireless
   information  and machine to machine and  machine to person  messaging,  among
   others,  could increase the number and type of new services or products which
   compete with the wireless  messaging services  historically  offered by Arch.
   Firms  seeking to provide  wireless  communications  through  these and other
   technologies  may bring  their  products  to market  faster or in packages of
   products that  consumers find more valuable than those which Arch proposes to
   provide.



                                       13
<PAGE>

   Obsolescence in company-owned units may impose additional costs on Arch

      Technological  change  may also  adversely  affect  the value of the units
   owned  by  Arch  that  are  leased  to its  subscribers.  If  Arch's  current
   subscribers request more technologically  advanced units,  including send and
   receive  units,  Arch could  incur  additional  inventory  costs and  capital
   expenditures if required to replace units leased to its subscribers  within a
   short period of time. Such  additional  costs or capital  expenditures  could
   have a material adverse effect on Arch's results of operations.

   All of these factors  could reduce  Arch's market share and adversely  affect
its revenues and operating margins.

Government regulation may burden operations

   Licenses may not be automatically renewed

      Arch's Federal  Communications  Commission paging licenses are for varying
   terms  of up to 10  years.  Before  the end of  each  license  term,  renewal
   applications must be approved by the Federal  Communications  Commission.  To
   date, the Commission has approved each assignment and transfer of control for
   which Arch has sought approval, but no assurance can be given that any future
   renewal  applications  will be free of  challenge  or will be  granted by the
   Commission. Loss of licenses would impair Arch's operations.

   Regulatory changes could add burdens or benefit competing technologies

      The Federal Communications  Commission continually reviews and revises its
   rules affecting  wireless  communications  companies.  Therefore,  regulatory
   requirements that apply to Arch may change significantly over time.

   Acquisitions of Arch's stock by foreigners could jeopardize Arch's licenses

      The Communications Act limits foreign investment in and ownership of radio
   common carriers licensed by the Federal Communications Commission, as well as
   their parent companies. Arch may not have more than 25% of its stock owned or
   voted by  aliens  or  their  representatives,  a  foreign  government  or its
   representatives  or a  foreign  corporation  if  the  Federal  Communications
   Commission  finds that the public  interest  would be served by denying  such
   ownership.  Arch's  subsidiaries  that are radio common carrier licensees are
   subject to more stringent  requirements  and may have only up to 20% of their
   stock owned or voted by aliens or their representatives, a foreign government
   or their representatives or a foreign corporation. This ownership restriction
   is not subject to waiver.  Arch's charter permits the redemption of shares of
   Arch's  capital stock from foreign  stockholders  where  necessary to protect
   Federal Communications  Commission licenses held by Arch or its subsidiaries,
   but such a redemption would be subject to the availability of capital to Arch
   and any  restrictions  contained in applicable debt instruments and under the
   Delaware corporation statute.  These restrictions  currently would not permit
   any such redemptions.  The failure to redeem shares promptly could jeopardize
   the  Federal   Communications   Commission  licenses  held  by  Arch  or  its
   subsidiaries.

Because Arch depends on third  parties,  that it does not control,  for products
and services, Arch's operations may be disrupted

   Arch  does  not  manufacture  any of the  equipment  customers  need  to take
advantage of its services.  It is dependent primarily on Motorola,  Inc. and NEC
America Inc. to obtain  sufficient  equipment  inventory for new subscribers and
replacement needs and on Glenayre Electronics,  Inc. and Motorola for sufficient
terminals and  transmitters to meet its expansion and replacement  requirements.
Significant delays in obtaining  equipment,  terminals or transmitters,  such as
MobileMedia  experienced before its bankruptcy filing, could lead to disruptions
in operations  and adverse  financial  consequences.  Motorola has announced its
intention   to   discontinue   manufacturing   transmitters   and  other  paging
infrastructure  during 2000,  although it will  continue to maintain and service
existing infrastructure into the future. Arch's purchase agreement with Motorola
expires on March 17, 2001.  There can be no assurance  that the  agreement  with
Motorola will be renewed or, if renewed,  that the renewed  agreement will be on
terms and  conditions  as favorable  to the combined  company as those under the
current agreement.



                                       14
<PAGE>

   Arch  relies on third  parties to  provide  satellite  transmission  for some
aspects  of its  wireless  communications  services.  To the  extent  there  are
satellite  outages or if satellite  coverage is impaired in other ways, Arch may
experience a loss of service until such time as satellite  coverage is restored,
which could have a material adverse effect due to customer complaints.

Loss of key personnel could adversely impact operations

   Arch's  success will depend,  to a  significant  extent,  upon the  continued
services of a relatively small group of executive personnel.  Arch does not have
employment  agreements with any of its current executive  officers,  or maintain
life insurance on their lives, although all executive officers have entered into
executive  retention  agreements with Arch. The loss or unavailability of one or
more of its  executive  officers  or the  inability  to  attract  or retain  key
employees in the future could have a material adverse effect on Arch.

Charter provisions may impede takeovers of Arch that might benefit Arch
stockholders

   Arch's certificate of incorporation and bylaws provide for:
   o  a  classified  board of  directors,  divided  into three  classes  who are
      elected for three-year terms;
   o  the issuance of "blank check"  preferred stock whose terms may be fixed by
      Arch's board of directors without further stockholder approval;
   o  a  prohibition  on  stockholder  action by  written  consent  in lieu of a
      meeting; and
   o  procedural requirements governing stockholder meetings.

   Arch also has a  stockholders  rights plan.  In addition,  Section 203 of the
Delaware  corporations  statute will, with some  exceptions,  prohibit Arch from
engaging in any business  combination  with any "interested  stockholder"  for a
three-year  period after such  stockholder  becomes an  interested  stockholder.
These  provisions  may have the effect of  delaying,  making more  difficult  or
preventing a change in control or  acquisition of Arch even though a transaction
like that might be beneficial to Arch's stockholders.

Restrictions  under debt  instruments may prevent Arch from taking actions which
its board considers beneficial

   Various debt instruments impose operating and financial restrictions on Arch.
Arch's senior credit facility  requires  various Arch operating  subsidiaries to
maintain  specified  financial  ratios,  including a maximum  leverage  ratio, a
minimum  interest  coverage  ratio, a minimum debt service  coverage ratio and a
minimum fixed charge coverage ratio.  The senior credit facility was amended and
restated  on March  23,  2000 to  permit  the  PageNet  merger  and  includes  a
restriction on capital expenditures and a minimum revenue test. In addition, the
senior credit facility limits or restricts, among other things, Arch's operating
subsidiaries' ability to:
   o  declare dividends or repurchase capital stock;
   o  incur or pay back indebtedness;
   o  engage in mergers, consolidations, acquisitions and asset sales; or
   o  alter its lines of business or accounting methods.

   Arch's ability to comply with such covenants may be affected by events beyond
its control, including prevailing economic and financial conditions. A breach of
any of these  covenants  could  result in a  default  under  the  senior  credit
facility  and/or  other debt  instruments.  Upon the  occurrence  of an event of
default,  the  creditors  could elect to declare all amounts  outstanding  to be
immediately due and payable,  together with accrued and unpaid interest. If Arch
were  unable to repay any such  amounts,  the  senior  creditors  could  proceed
against any  collateral  securing  the  indebtedness.  If the lenders  under the
senior credit facility or other debt instruments accelerated the payment of such
indebtedness,  there  can be no  assurance  that  the  assets  of Arch  would be
sufficient to repay in full such indebtedness and other indebtedness of Arch. In
addition,  because the senior credit facility and other debt  instruments  limit
Arch's ability to engage in some types of  transactions,  Arch may be prohibited
from entering into transactions that could be beneficial to Arch.



                                       15
<PAGE>

ITEM 3.   QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK

   The  majority of the  Company's  long-term  debt is subject to fixed rates of
interest or interest rate protection. In the event that the interest rate on the
Company's non-fixed rate debt fluctuates by 10% in either direction, the Company
believes  the  impact on its  results of  operations  would be  immaterial.  The
Company transacts  infrequently in foreign currency and therefore is not exposed
to significant foreign currency market risk.



                           PART II. OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM 1.   LEGAL PROCEEDINGS

   The Company is involved in various  lawsuits and claims arising in the normal
course of business.  The Company  believes that none of such matters will have a
material adverse effect on the Company's business or financial condition.

ITEM 2.   CHANGES IN SECURITIES AND USE OF PROCEEDS

   None.

ITEM 3.   DEFAULTS UPON SENIOR SECURITIES

   None.

ITEM 4.   SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

   At the Company's  Special Meeting of  Stockholders  held on April 3, 2000 the
following proposal was adopted by the vote specified below:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                                               Broker
   Proposal                                                 For          Against   Abstain    Nonvotes

   --------                                                 ---          -------   -------    --------
<S>                                                         <C>          <C>       <C>        <C>
   To increase the number of authorized shares of common
      stock from 65,000,000 to 150,000,000 shares.
                                                            32,013,424   364,548       526         --
</TABLE>


ITEM 5.   OTHER INFORMATION

Stockholder Proposals for 2001 Annual Meeting

   As set forth in the Company's  Proxy Statement for its 2000 Annual Meeting of
Stockholders,  stockholder  proposals submitted pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the
Exchange Act for inclusion in the Company's  proxy materials for its 2001 Annual
Meeting of Stockholders  must be received by the Secretary of the Company at the
principal offices of the Company no later than December 29, 2000.

   In addition,  the Company's By-laws require that the Company be given advance
notice  of  stockholder  nominations  for  election  to the  Company's  Board of
Directors and of other matters which  stockholders wish to present for action at
an annual meeting of stockholders  (other than matters included in the Company's
proxy statement in accordance with Rule 14a-8). The required notice must be made
in  writing  and  delivered  or mailed to the  Secretary  of the  Company at the
principal  offices of the  Company,  and received not less than 80 days prior to
the 2000 Annual Meeting; provided, however, that if less than 90 days' notice or
prior  public  disclosure  of the  date  of the  meeting  is  given  or  made to
stockholders,  such  nomination  shall  have  been  mailed or  delivered  to the
Secretary  not later than the close of  business on the 10th day  following  the
date on which the notice of the meeting was mailed or such public disclosure was
made,  whichever occurs first. The 2001 Annual Meeting is currently  expected to
be held on May 15, 2001.  Assuming  that this date does not change,  in order to


                                       16
<PAGE>

comply with the time  periods set forth in the  Company's  By-Laws,  appropriate
notice would need to be provided no later than February 23, 2001.

ITEM 6.   EXHIBITS AND REPORTS ON FORM 8-K

          (a) The exhibits listed on the accompanying  index to exhibits are
              filed as part of this Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q.

          (b) The following reports on Form 8-K were filed for the quarter for
              which this report is filed:

              Current  Report on Form 8-K dated  April 12,  2000  (reporting
                 that the  Company  executed  an  Amendment  to its  Rights
                 Agreement) filed April 26, 2000.

              Current Report on Form 8-K dated  January  7, 2000  (reporting
                 that the Company  executed an Amendment to its  definitive
                 merger  agreement with Paging Network,  Inc) filed January 21,
                 2000.









<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

   Pursuant to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  the
Registrant  has duly caused this report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March
31,  2000,  to be  signed  on its  behalf  by  the  undersigned  thereunto  duly
authorized.



                                        ARCH COMMUNICATIONS GROUP, INC.





Dated:  May 15, 2000                    By: /s/ J. Roy Pottle
                                            -----------------
                                            J. Roy Pottle
                                            Executive Vice President and
                                            Chief Financial Officer



                                       19
<PAGE>
                                INDEX TO EXHIBITS


Exhibit            Description
- -------            -----------
  27.1*            Financial Data Schedule.


* Filed herewith


<TABLE> <S> <C>

<ARTICLE>                                5
<CIK>                                    0000915390
<NAME>                                   Arch Communications Group, Inc.
<MULTIPLIER>                             1,000
<CURRENCY>                               USD

<S>                                               <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE>                                     3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                                      Dec-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                                         Jan-01-2000
<PERIOD-END>                                           Mar-31-2000
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                                  1
<CASH>                                                       4,222
<SECURITIES>                                                     0
<RECEIVABLES>                                               59,071
<ALLOWANCES>                                                     0
<INVENTORY>                                                  9,514
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                                            85,579
<PP&E>                                                     742,440
<DEPRECIATION>                                             357,319
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                           1,295,468
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>                                      168,976
<BONDS>                                                  1,169,954
                                            0
                                                      3
<COMMON>                                                       632
<OTHER-SE>                                                (125,148)
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>                             1,295,468
<SALES>                                                     12,335
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                                           189,995
<CGS>                                                        8,880
<TOTAL-COSTS>                                                8,880
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                                            39,115
<LOSS-PROVISION>                                                 0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                          42,506
<INCOME-PRETAX>                                            (70,192)
<INCOME-TAX>                                                     0
<INCOME-CONTINUING>                                        (70,192)
<DISCONTINUED>                                                   0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                                              7,615
<CHANGES>                                                        0
<NET-INCOME>                                               (62,577)
<EPS-BASIC>                                                  (1.14)
<EPS-DILUTED>                                                (1.14)



</TABLE>


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