Exhibit 99.1
News release via Canada NewsWire, Toronto 416-863-9350
Attention Business Editors:
Rogers Announces Wireless, Cable and Telecom Subscriber Results for
Fourth Quarter 2005
TORONTO, Jan. 9 /CNW/ - Rogers Communications Inc. (TSX: RCI; NYSE: RG)
today announced selected preliminary fourth quarter 2005 subscriber results
for its wireless, cable and telecom operations.
Separately, Rogers Communications said that it expects to release fourth
quarter 2005 financial and operating results and provide full year 2006
guidance on or about February 9, 2006.
"Rogers ended 2005 with solid subscriber results reflecting the continued
healthy demand in the markets we serve and our leadership in product and
service innovation across our wireless, cable, high-speed Internet and
emerging telephony services businesses," said Ted Rogers, President and CEO of
Rogers Communications. "These results also reflect our continued success in
delivering convenience and value for our customers while at the same time
executing solidly around the integration of our strategic wireless and
telephony acquisitions. As we enter 2006, our focus remains on disciplined
execution."
<<
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Three Months Ended December 31,
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(Subscriber statistics in
thousands, except churn) 2005 2004 Chg % Chg
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WIRELESS (Pro forma 2004) (1)
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Postpaid (Voice and Data) (2)
Gross additions 422.3 444.4 (22.1) (5.0)
Net additions (3) 202.6 208.1 (5.5) (2.6)
Total postpaid retail
subscribers (3)(4)
Churn % (3) 1.57% 1.95% (0.38%) (19.5)
Prepaid
Gross additions 160.3 149.6 10.7 7.2
Net additions (losses) (5) 13.7 54.8 (41.1) -
Adjustment to the
subscriber base (6)
Total prepaid retail
subscribers
Churn % (5) 3.68% 2.47% 1.21% 49.0
Total - Postpaid and Prepaid (2)
Gross additions 582.6 593.9 (11.3) (1.9)
Net additions (3)(5) 216.3 262.9 (46.6) (17.7)
Adjustment to the
subscriber base (6)
Total retail
subscribers (3)(4)(5)
Churn % 2.04% 2.07% (0.03%) (1.4)
Wholesale subscribers (2)
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CABLE
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Homes Passed
Basic cable subscribers
Basic cable, net additions (7) 8.0 5.9 2.1 35.6
High speed Internet subscribers
High speed Internet,
net additions (7) 62.2 57.1 5.1 8.9
Digital terminals in service
Digital terminals,
net additions (7) 114.2 66.5 47.7 71.7
Digital households
Digital households,
net additions (7) 73.2 48.4 24.8 51.2
Cable telephony subscribers
Cable telephony subscribers,
net additions (7) 29.8 - - -
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TELECOM (Pro forma 2004) (8)
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Local service lines - circuit
switched
Local service lines - circuit
switched, net additions (9) 28.4 31.7 (3.3) (10.4)
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Twelve Months Ended December 31,
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
(Subscriber statistics in
thousands, except churn) 2005 2004 Chg % Chg
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
WIRELESS (Pro forma 2004) (1)
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Postpaid (Voice and Data) (2)
Gross additions 1,453.5 1,493.7 (40.2) (2.7)
Net additions (3) 603.1 605.9 (2.8) (0.5)
Total postpaid retail
subscribers (3)(4) 4,818.2 4,184.1 634.1 15.2
Churn % (3) 1.61% 1.93% (0.32%) (16.6)
Prepaid
Gross additions 576.5 498.0 78.5 15.8
Net additions (losses) (5) 15.7 (3.8) 19.5 -
Adjustment to the
subscriber base (6) - (74.8) 74.8 -
Total prepaid retail
subscribers 1,349.8 1,334.1 15.7 1.2
Churn % (5) 3.54% 3.17% 0.37% 11.7
Total - Postpaid and Prepaid (2)
Gross additions 2,030.0 1,991.7 38.3 1.9
Net additions (3)(5) 618.8 602.1 16.7 2.8
Adjustment to the
subscriber base (6) - (74.8) 74.8 -
Total retail
subscribers (3)(4)(5) 6,168.0 5,518.2 649.8 16.4
Churn % 2.05% 2.25% (0.2%) (8.9)
Wholesale subscribers (2) 107.7 91.2 16.5 18.1
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CABLE
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Homes Passed 3,387.5 3,291.1 96.4 2.9
Basic cable subscribers 2,263.8 2,254.6 9.2 0.4
Basic cable, net additions (7) 9.2 (14.8) 24.0 -
High speed Internet subscribers 1,145.1 936.6 208.5 22.3
High speed Internet,
net additions (7) 208.5 158.8 49.7 31.3
Digital terminals in service 1,139.7 795.7 344.0 43.2
Digital terminals,
net additions (7) 344.0 182.1 161.9 88.9
Digital households 913.3 675.4 237.9 35.2
Digital households,
net additions (7) 237.8 140.1 97.7 69.7
Cable telephony subscribers 47.9 - - -
Cable telephony subscribers,
net additions (7) 47.9 - - -
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TELECOM (Pro forma 2004) (8)
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Local service lines - circuit
switched 561.4 464.9 96.5 20.8
Local service lines - circuit
switched, net additions (9) 96.5 135.4 (38.9) (28.7)
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(1) The 2004 comparative wireless data has been prepared on a pro forma
basis as if the transaction relating to the acquisition of Fido, as
described in our 2004 Annual MD&A, had occurred on January 1, 2004.
The operating data presented is for illustrative purposes only and
does not purport to represent what the results of operations actually
would have been if the transactions had occurred on January 1, 2004,
nor does it purport to project the results of operations for any
future period.
(2) Effective at the beginning of the fourth quarter 2004, on a
prospective basis, wholesale subscribers are excluded from the
postpaid subscriber figures.
(3) Effective December 2004, voluntarily deactivating wireless
subscribers are required to continue billing and service for 30 days
from the date termination is requested. This continued service
period, which is consistent with subscriber agreement terms and
conditions, resulted in approximately 15,900 additional net postpaid
subscribers being included in the three and twelve month periods
ended December 31, 2004.
(4) Total postpaid retail subscribers includes approximately 31,000
subscribers acquired as part of the purchase of Call-Net Enterprises
Inc. ("Telecom") on July 1, 2005. These subscribers are not included
in gross or net additions for the twelve months ended December 31,
2005.
(5) Effective November 9, 2004, the deactivation of prepaid subscribers
acquired from Fido is recognized after 180 days of no usage to
conform to the Wireless prepaid churn definition. This had the impact
of decreasing prepaid subscriber net losses by approximately 12,000
and 44,000 in the twelve months ended December 31, 2005 and 2004,
respectively, and reducing monthly prepaid churn by 0.10% and 0.28%
for the twelve months ended December 31, 2005 and 2004, respectively.
For the three months ended December 31, 2004, this had the impact of
reducing prepaid subscriber net losses by approximately 44,000. There
was no impact in the three months ended December 31, 2005.
(6) At the beginning of the second quarter of 2004, Fido removed 74,800
inactive prepaid customers from the retail subscriber base. This
adjustment was not reflected in the calculation of prepaid and
blended churn rates or in net additions (losses) and these operating
statistics are presented net of such adjustments.
(7) Effective August 2005, voluntarily deactivating cable subscribers are
required to continue service for 30 days from the date termination is
requested. This continued service period, which is consistent with
the billing and subscriber agreement terms and conditions, had the
impact of decreasing net basic cable, Internet and digital household
subscriber net additions by approximately 7,200, 2,700 and 1,800,
respectively, in the three months ended December 31, 2005 and
increasing net basic cable, Internet and digital household subscriber
net additions by approximately 9,500, 5,200 and 3,800, respectively,
in the twelve months ended December 31, 2005.
(8) Telecom was acquired on July 1, 2005. The 2004 comparative Telecom
data is presented on a pro forma basis as if the acquisition had
occurred on January 1, 2004. The operating data presented is for
illustrative purposes only and does not purport to represent what the
results of operations actually would have been if the transactions
had occurred on January 1, 2004, nor does it purport to project the
results of operations for any future period.
(9) Circuit switched local service line net additions for the three and
twelve months ended December 31, 2004 exclude approximately 61,900
circuit switched local service lines that were included upon the
acquisition on November 20, 2004 of certain portions of the Eastern
Canada customer base of 360/GT Telecom.
About the Company: Rogers Communications (TSX: RCI; NYSE: RG) is a
diversified Canadian communications and media company engaged in four primary
lines of business. Rogers Wireless is Canada's largest wireless voice and data
communications services provider and the country's only carrier operating on
the world standard GSM/GPRS/EDGE technology platform; Rogers Cable is Canada's
largest cable television provider offering cable television, high-speed
Internet access, voice over cable telephony services and video retailing;
Rogers Media is Canada's premier collection of category leading media assets
with businesses in radio, television broadcasting, television shopping,
publishing and sports entertainment; and Rogers Telecom is a national provider
of telephony, data networking, and broadband Internet connectivity to small,
medium and large businesses across the country. For further information about
the Rogers group of companies, please visit www.rogers.com.
Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This press release includes
forward-looking statements concerning the future performance of our business,
its operations and its financial performance and condition, and also includes
selected operating results presented without the context of accompanying
financial results which are not yet available. These forward-looking
statements include, among others, statements with respect to our objectives
and strategies to achieve those objectives, as well as statements with respect
to our beliefs, plans, expectations, anticipations, estimates or intentions.
These forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations. We
caution that all forward-looking information is inherently uncertain and
actual results may differ materially from the assumptions, estimates or
expectations reflected or contained in the forward-looking information, and
that actual future performance will be affected by a number of factors,
including economic conditions, technological change, the integration of
acquisitions, regulatory change and competitive factors, many of which are
beyond our control. Therefore, future events and results may vary
significantly from what we currently foresee and subscriber levels may not be
reflective of actual financial performance. We are under no obligation (and we
expressly disclaim any such obligation) to update or alter the forward-looking
statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
For a more detailed discussion of factors that may affect actual results, see
the sections entitled "Updates to Risks and Uncertainties" and "Risks and
Uncertainties" in our 2005 Interim Quarterly MD&A and our 2004 Annual MD&A.
>>
%SEDAR: 00003765EF %CIK: 0000733099
/For further information: Investment Community Contacts: Bruce M. Mann,
(416) 935-3532, bruce.mann(at)rci.rogers.com; Eric A. Wright, (416) 935-3550,
eric.wright(at)rci.rogers.com; Media Contacts: Corporate and Media - Jan
Innes, (416) 935-3525, jan.innes(at)rci.rogers.com; Wireless, Cable and
Telecom - Taanta Gupta, (416) 935-4727, taanta.gupta(at)rci.rogers.com;
Archived images on this organization are searchable through CNW Photo Archive
website at http://photos.newswire.ca. Images are free to accredited members of
the media./
(RCI.MV.A. RCI.NV.B. RG)
CO: Rogers Communications Inc.; Rogers Wireless Inc.; Rogers Cable Inc.;
Rogers Telecom Inc. (formerly Sprint Canada)
CNW 08:01e 09-JAN-06
