Canadian regional telco Bell Aliant’s second quarter results illustrate a steady shift in focus from traditional telephony to broadband services, with high speed internet users up by 21% year-on-year to 642,434, whilst local access lines declined by 94,000 to 3,264,763. Local and long-distance revenue declined by CAD3.8 million (USD3.6 million), or 1%, and CAD4.8 million (3.9%) respectively in the three months to June 2007, compared to the second quarter of 2006, as internet turnover rose by CAD8.3 million. Overall operating revenue for the period reached CAD825.4 million, up 1.3% year-on-year, EBITDA was CAD358.1 million (up 1.4%), and net income was CAD305.2 million, compared to CAD88.5 million the previous quarter and CAD53.2 million in Q2 2006, with figures helped by the sale of the firm’s telephone directory business. Three-month CAPEX was CAD143.4 million, up 0.9% on the year-ago period.
Bell Aliant Holdings’ results combine Aliant’s former wireline operation in Atlantic Canada, information technology and other operations, and Bell Canada’s former wireline operation in parts of Ontario and Quebec, as well as indirect ownership in regional telcos Telebec and NorthernTel. Mobile services are provided over the analogue and digital wireless networks of Telebec and NorthernTel, which saw a 14.7% year-on-year increase in cellular customers to reach a total of 88,235 at the end of June.