by Tucker Echols Staff Reporter

RCN Corp., which sells Internet, phone and cable services in several cities, boosted sales last quarter but lost more money.

Herndon-based RCN reported revenue increased 17 percent in the first quarter to $179.8 million, compared to $153.3 million in the year-ago period. The company's net loss widened to $26.2 million from $4.6 million during the same quarter last year when RCN booked a $15.7 million gain on the sale of a discontinued operation.

RCN said it had 421,000 residential and small-business customers at the end of the first quarter, 5,000 more than at the end of the fourth quarter last year and 14,000 more than one year ago.

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