Montréal, March 8, 2011 – Videotron announces that it has recorded customer growth for all its products for the seventh year in a row, largely as a result of its technological leadership and innovation. The most noteworthy event of the year for Videotron was unquestionably the launch of its mobile communication services in September 2010. The launch marked not only the inauguration of Videotron's mobile network but also the introduction of illico mobile, a key ingredient of the Company's multiplatform ecosystem. With illico TV, illico web and illico mobile, Videotron customers can now watch the content they want when they want, where they want, on the screen of their choosing, on unquestionably the best multi-screen television service in Canada.
2010 was a year of successes for Videotron, said Robert Dépatie, President & CEO of Videotron. However, those successes have not made us lose sight of our prime objective; on the contrary, they are part and parcel of our mission to deliver the best possible customer experience on every front: innovation, entertainment, customer service.
Impressive numbers
As of December 31, 2010, Videotron had 1,811,600 subscribers to its cable television service (including 1,219,600 for illico TV), 1,254,400 subscribers to its cable Internet access service and its new high-speed mobile Internet service, 1,114,300 subscribers to its cable telephone service, and 136,100 connections to its mobile service.
Mobile service: supported by the most fibre-optic-connected network
In little more than three months, Videotron logged 92,600 subscriber additions to its new mobile network (55,800 new connections and 36,800 migrations), including 70,700 in the quarter ended December 31, 2010. At year's end, the number of subscribers to all of Videotron's mobile services totalled 136,100.
Videotron's mobile network, the most fibre-optic-connected network in Québec, enabled it to introduce new functionalities that have been well received by customers, including three-screen pause-and-resume and remote programming of the customer's personal video recorder. Videotron also rolled out its mobile network to Trois-Rivières, Sherbrooke and the Laurentians in the fourth quarter.
Digital TV: enhanced offering
Videotron closed 2010 with 1,811,600 subscribers to its cable television service. During the year, the number of subscribers to the illico Digital TV service increased by 135,500 to a total of 1,219,600 households and businesses.
illico TV: the largest selection of HD content
With more than 10,000 free and paid titles, including more than 2,000 items available on all three illico screens, the launch of new on-demand channels and 17 new channels (including 11 in HD), illico TV continued increasing its popularity, logging more than 68 million video on demand orders in 2010. As Videotron is the number one carrier of content for children and families, and also offers the widest selection of HD content, it is not surprising that 67% of its cable television customers have opted for its digital service.
Still more content on illico web
During the fourth quarter, the illico web service provided Videotron customers with access to still more free and paid movies, series and television program, increasing its catalogue to a total of more than 4,000 titles.
The fastest Internet access, period
In the fourth quarter of 2010, the number of subscribers to Videotron's cable and mobile high-speed Internet access services grew to 1,254,400, an increase of 83,800 from 1,170,600 at the end of 2009. Videotron demonstrated its leadership in the segment during the year with the launch of Ultimate Speed Internet 15 in May and, in September, Ultimate Speed Internet 120, which brought Québec City Internet access speeds among the fastest in the land. In addition to the new services, Videotron enhanced all its Internet access services by increasing the download limits on High-Speed Internet and Ultimate Speed Internet 30, and increasing the download limits and speeds of Basic Internet and Ultimate Speed Internet 50, now Ultimate Speed Internet 60.
Cable telephone service: as popular as ever
Videotron's cable telephone service maintained its popularity, closing the year with 1,114,300 residential and Business subscribers, an increase of 16,200 during the fourth quarter of 2010 and 100,300 during the year. More than a million subscribers to Videotron's mobile service and residential and Business telephone services can now make unlimited free local and long-distance calls to each other.
Videotron (www.Videotron.com), a wholly owned subsidiary of Quebecor Media Inc., is an integrated communications company engaged in cable television, interactive multimedia development, and Internet access, cable telephone and mobile telephone services. Videotron is a leader in new technologies with its interactive Digital TV service and its broadband network, which supports high-speed cable Internet access, analog and digital cable television, and other services. As of December 31, 2010, Videotron was serving 1,811,600 cable television customers, including 1,219,600 subscribers to its digital service. Videotron is also the Québec leader in high-speed Internet access, with 1,254,400 subscribers to its cable and mobile services as of December 31, 2010. As of the same date, Videotron had 136,100 subscriber connections to its mobile telephone service and was providing cable telephone service to 1,114,300 Québec households and organizations. For the sixth consecutive year, Videotron was named Québec's most respected telecommunications company by Les Affaires magazine, based on a Léger Marketing survey.
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