Canadian cable and mobile group Rogers Communications has posted consolidated operating revenue down by 1% year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2013 to CAD3.243 billion (USD2.933 billion), reflecting a 2% decline in wireless network revenue as well as lower equipment sales, partly offset by growth in cable operations (2%), Business Solutions (11%) and Media (4%). The decline in wireless turnover was mainly attributed to the introduction of lower priced roaming plans and pricing changes associated with Rogers’ new simplified packages designed to be better value for money. A modest slowing of cable revenue growth reflected television subscriber losses offset by continued growth in cable internet. Adjusted operating profit fell by 1% y-o-y in Q4 2013 to CAD1.167 billion, while quarterly adjusted net profit dropped by 20% to CAD357 million.
Rogers’ wireless division activated/upgraded 790,000 smartphones in the fourth quarter of 2013, of which approximately 29% represented new subscribers, while customers with smartphones represented 75% of all post-paid wireless subscribers by the end of the year. Total post-paid mobile subscribers reached 8.074 million at 31 December 2013, up from 7.846 million twelve months earlier, while post-paid ARPU was diluted to CAD66.34 in Q4 2013, a drop of CAD3.41 in a year. Total pre-paid mobile subscribers stood at 1.429 million at end-December 2013, down from 1.591 million at the end of 2012, whilst pre-paid ARPU decreased gradually, from CAD15.83 to CAD15.49 in a year.