BCE reports highest quarterly rise in IPTV subs

BCE Inc.'s fibre IPTV customer additions grew the highest ever for a three month period during the third quarter of 2012 with 42,973 net subscriber additions, the company said. Bell said its fibre-based Fibe TV customer growth was its “best quarter ever” and that as of Sept. 30, the end of the third quarter, the service had more than 200,000 subscribers. Bell's fibre Internet and TV service now passes more than 2.8 million homes, rising from about 1.5 million the same time a year ago, the company said. “This was moderated by lower satellite TV net activations, due to the rollout of IPTV by competing service providers, aggressive customer conversion offers from cable competitors, and Bell customer migrations to Fibe TV,” Bell said in a release. The company's overall television subscriber base totalled 2,136,765 at the end of quarter, rising 2.9 per cent from the same time a year earlier. Bell's new TV customers are coming largely at the expense of competing cablecos Rogers Communications Inc. and Quebecor Media Inc. Bell added a net of 13,416 Internet customers during the the quarter compared to a net loss of 101 during the same period of 2011. The company said this was due to the “pull-through effect” of service bundles, “enhanced competitive offers,” and broadband fibre network expansion. Bell said smartphone subscribers rose, representing 60 per cent of its total postpaid base at the end of the quarter, from 43 per cent a year earlier. Bell's total mobile wireless customer base reached 7,576,027 at the end of the third quarter, rising 2.8 per cent from the same time a year earlier. The company reported adding net wireless activations of 148,502 during the quarter, far more than what Canada's largest wireless carrier, Rogers, reported last week. Rogers added 76,000 net postpaid wireless subscribers during its third-quarter of 2012 ended Sept. 30. That was 2,000 more than 74,000 additions in the same period a year earlier. BCE said its Bell Media division performed better “with higher subscriber fee revenues driven by market-based rates charged to broadcast distributors for certain Bell Media specialty sports and non-sports services, and higher revenues from broadcasting the 2012 London Games.” The CRTC last year deregulated sports and new specialty channels, opening up channels in those genres to market-based carriage rates. Bell Media's earnings before interest, taxes and amortization were $156 million in the quarter, up from $81 million the same period a year earlier. BCE continues to seek approval of a $3.38-billion acquisition of media company Astral Media Inc. after the CRTC denied the transaction a decision last month. Overall, BCE reported lower profits attributable to common shareholders of $569 million, compared to $642 million in the same period a year ago. Telus Corp. reports its earnings Nov. 9. news@thewirereport.ca

BCE reports highest quarterly rise in IPTV subs

Broadcast | November 1, 2012

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BCE reports highest quarterly rise in IPTV subs

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