Bell now has more than 10 million mobile subscribers.
Mirko Bibic, the CEO of BCE and Bell Canada, called the figure a “milestone.”
The company reported just over $6 million in total operating revenue, a 3.5 percent increase from the year prior, with growth in the residential internet and wireless services areas.
Service revenue from the company’s communications and technology services sectors (which include mobile, internet, and Bell TV customers) increased by 1.9 percent compared to Q2 2022.
Subscriber growth in the mobile and retail internet sectors, revenue from increased roaming, and acquisitions played a role.
Bell grew its postpaid mobile subscriber count by nearly 34 percent, with nearly 112,000 new postpaid subscribers. However, the company saw a 48 percent decrease in prepaid subscribers, only adding 14,000 customers in Q2.
This brought the total mobile phone subscriber figure to just over 10 million by the end of the second quarter. A 4.4 percent increase from the year prior, more than 9 million of these subscribers are postpaid.
Revenue from products also saw a 21.5 percent increase to $763 million. The sale of higher-value phones and telecom equipment to large companies played a role.
Bell also added nearly 25,000 retail internet subscribers for a 10 percent increase year-over-year, the best Q2 figures in the category since 2007.
The company credits its fibre expansion projects and sales of bundled offers for the increase.
Bell reports 4.3 million total retail internet subscribers for the end of Q2, a nine percent increase from the total subscribers reported at the same time last year. The figure includes 35,000 customers from “small acquisitions.”
During the conference call discussing the results, Bibic called on government assistance with “difficult advertising markets.” Bell pulled advertising on Meta’s platforms last month, citing the company’s response to Bill C-18. The CEO also called on the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to work faster, referencing policy directions on the company’s fibre investments, Bill C-11 and Bill C-18.
Bibic’s words come in contrast to messaging he shared earlier this year, where he called on the government to stop intervening in telecom matters.
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