wireless subscriber acquisitions, and a 0.6% decline in total operating costs reflecting the favourable impact of IFRS 16.
BCE capital expenditures totalled $972 million, down from $1,056 million in Q2 2018, representing a capital intensity(5) ratio (capital expenditures as a percentage of total revenue) of 16.4%, compared to 18.3% last year. The year-over-year decline reflected a timing-related reduction in capital spending, which is expected to increase in the second half of the year. Capital expenditures focused on further expansion of Bell’s fibre to the premises (FTTP) and fixed wireless to the home (WTTH) footprints; the connection of fibre Internet and TV services directly to more homes and businesses; and wireless network investment, including the deployment of small cells to increase network speeds, coverage and signal quality, as well as data fibre backhaul in preparation for 5G service.
BCE cash flows from operating activities were $2,093 million, up 1.8% over last year. Due mainly to higher adjusted EBITDA, the increase was partly offset by a reduction in cash from working capital and higher interest paid, reflecting the unfavourable impact from the adoption of IFRS 16. Free cash flow was $1,093 million, a 10.0% increase from Q2 2018, driven by lower capital expenditures and higher cash flows from operating activities, excluding acquisition and other costs paid.
In Q2, BCE reported 149,478 net new wireless subscribers (102,980 postpaid and 46,498 prepaid customers); 19,414 net new retail Internet customers; 16,775 net new IPTV customers; a net loss of 14,425 retail satellite TV customers; and a net loss of 72,780 retail residential NAS lines.(5)
BCE wireless and retail Internet, TV and residential NAS connections totalled 18,680,588 at the end of Q2, up 1.1% over last year. The total includes 9,630,313 wireless customers(4), up 3.4% (including 8,911,169 postpaid customers, an increase of 3.7%, and 719,144 prepaid customers, up 0.4%); 3,461,825 retail Internet subscribers(4), up 4.1%; 2,767,201 retail TV subscribers, up 1.0% (including 1,713,397 IPTV customers, an increase of 7.1%, and 1,053,804 retail satellite TV customers, down 7.6%); and 2,821,249 retail residential NAS lines, down 8.8%.
BCE OPERATING RESULTS BY SEGMENT
“Bell delivered increased revenue and adjusted EBITDA in all of our wireless, wireline and media operating segments. Overall broadband customer additions grew 25.5% year over year to 186,000, reflecting Bell’s network and service leadership, unmatched national distribution network and outstanding execution by our team in a competitive marketplace,” said Chief Operating Officer Mirko Bibic.
“Exceptional wireless growth of more than 149,000 net additions, our best Q2 performance since 2001, was supported by significant churn improvement in postpaid and by Bell’s resurgence in the prepaid marketplace with the ongoing success of Lucky Mobile. Retail Internet net additions grew by more than 19,000 – up 51.6% over last year – and IPTV customers by almost 17,000 as we delivered the fastest home Internet speeds and best TV services over Bell’s growing all-fibre network. The only Canadian media company to grow audiences in all key demographics year over year, Bell continued to deliver the country’s most-watched sports, entertainment and news programming across conventional, pay and specialty TV, drawing record-breaking audiences for the Toronto Raptors NBA Championship and the finales of Game of Thrones and The Big Bang Theory, while achieving our 4th consecutive quarter of year-over-year TV advertising growth.”
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