TELUS Wireless Subscribers Hit 7.7M, Surpasses Bell at 7.6M in 2013 Q1

TELUS released their 2013 Q1 earnings report yesterday and noted their wireless revenues increased by $89 million (6.4%) to $1.5 billion, compared to the year ago quarter. This growth was driven by data revenues which increased by $85 million (17%) to $583 million year over year; data revenues comprised 43 per cent of wireless network revenue for the quarter.

As more and more Canadians adopt smartphones, this resulted in an increase of average revenue per user (ARPU) for data revenue to $25.62 (up 12%) and blended ARPU: $60.04 (up 2%).

TELUS added 59,000 postpaid subscribers which helped increase their total wireless subscribers count to 7.7 million, officially making the company the second largest wireless provider in the country overtaking Bell.

Smartphone users now represent 68 per cent of their postpaid base, up 56 per cent compared to the year ago quarter.

Bell Mobility 2013 Q1

Bell also released their quarterly earnings yesterday to report $1.40 billion in operating wireless revenues, an increase of 6.3 per cent compared to the year ago quarter, to go along with a 7.2 per cent increase in service revenues to $1.3 billion, based on the high smartphone adoption and a higher blended ARPU thanks to an increase of subscribers from Western Canada and higher data service usage.

Data revenue grew 23.9 percent in the quarter which now represents 39.3% of blended ARPU. Blended ARPU increased 3.9% to $55.92 in the quarter, continuing the thirteenth consecutive quarter of year over year growth.

The company added 59,497 postpaid subscribers in the quarter which brought total wireless subscribers to 7,672,075, an increase of 3.6 per cent. Smartphone users make up 68% of postpaid subscribers compared to 52% from a year ago. The company is now the third largest carrier in Canada after being edged out by TELUS.

Rogers still leads all carriers with 9,376,000 wireless subscribers, as noted in their 2013 Q1 earnings report.

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