AT&T still kicking in.

Profits for the telecommunications company were up a robust 39 percent for the first quarter. The company reported today that its earnings for the quarter, which ended March 31, were $3.41 billion, or 57 cents a share, up from $2.45 billion, or 41 cents, a year earlier. Excluding costs related to a tax issue, the year-ago profit was 58 cents.