Over half of Rogers’ contract mobile users have smartphones

Canadian quadruple-play operator Rogers Communications posted net profit of CAD491 million (USD488 million) in the third quarter of 2011, up from CAD380 million a year earlier, on revenues which rose only slightly year-on-year to CAD3.149 billion. In the wireless segment, blended average revenue per user (ARPU) in July-September fell to CAD61.79 from CAD64.38 in the same period of 2010, although gross smartphone activations or upgrades reached 609,000 in three months, higher than the 529,000 reported in Q3 2010, and at the end of September 2011 smartphone users represented 52% of Rogers’ post-paid subscriber base, up from 37% twelve months earlier. Overall, quarterly net mobile customer additions were lower year-on-year at 161,000 as tough competition from established and newer, price-focused cellular rivals took its toll. Rogers’ wireless churn stood at 1.73% in 3Q11, up from 1.50% a year earlier.