Rogers adds 32k digital cable subscribers in 3Q09

TORONTO — Rogers Communications Inc. (TSX: RCI.a; RCI.b)(NYSE: RCI) today announced its consolidated financial and operating results for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009.

Cable

Rogers continues to lead the Canadian cable industry in digital penetration. The digital cable subscriber base grew by 9% from September 30, 2008 to September 30, 2009. Digital penetration now represents approximately 71% of basic cable households, compared to 64% in the corresponding period of 2008. Increased demand from subscribers for digital content, HDTV and personal video recorder (“PVR”) equipment, combined with marketing campaigns which package cable television, high-speed Internet and Rogers Home Phone services, contributed to the growth in the digital subscriber base of 32,000 and 75,000 in the three and nine months ended September 30, 2009, respectively.

Summarized Subscriber Results:

                                Three months ended       Nine months ended
                                    September 30,           September 30,
    (Subscriber statistics  -------------------------------------------------
     in thousands)            2009    2008(1)   Chg    2009    2008(1)   Chg
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Cable homes passed(2)     3,609    3,530     79    3,609    3,530     79

    Basic Cable
      Net additions
       (losses)(3)                -       18    (18)     (27)       5    (32)
      Total Basic Cable
       subscribers(4)         2,292    2,316    (24)   2,292    2,316    (24)

    Digital Cable
      Terminals, net
       additions                 56      110    (54)     161      267   (106)
      Total terminals
       in service(4)          2,444    2,146    298    2,444    2,146    298
      Households, net
       additions                 32       58    (26)      75      130    (55)
      Total
       households(2)(4)       1,625    1,489    136    1,625    1,489    136

(1) Certain of the comparative figures have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.
(2) Since September 30, 2008, a change in subscriber reporting resulted in a cumulative decrease to cable homes passed of approximately 171,000.
(3) During the three months ended September 30, 2008, a reclassification of certain subscribers had the impact of increasing basic cable net additions by approximately 16,000. In addition, basic cable net subscriber additions for the nine months ended September 30, 2008 reflect the impact of the conversion of a large municipal housing authority’s cable TV arrangement with Rogers from a bulk to an individual tenant pay basis, which had the impact of reducing basic cable subscribers by approximately 5,000.
(4) On June 12, 2008, we acquired approximately 16,000 basic cable subscribers, 11,000 high-speed Internet subscribers, 8,000 terminals in service, 6,000 digital households and 2,000 cable telephony subscriber lines, representing 35,000 RGUs, from Aurora Cable.

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