Montreal , February 4, 2004 – Vidéotron Ltée posted another net increase in its customer base for all services during the months of October, November and December, 2003
Basic service (total cable TV)
The total number of cable television customers (subscribers to basic service) grew from 1,423,000 to 1,433,000, an increase of 10,000 in the fourth quarter, in addition to the 11,000 increase in subscribers reported in the third quarter. During this growth spurt, the number of subscribers rose for more than 21 consecutive weeks.
Digital TV
Vidéotron recorded sustained growth in the number of subscribers for its digital cable television service, closing the fourth quarter of 2003 with 240,000 customers compared to 213,000 at the end of the third quarter. The increase of 27,000 was the strongest quarterly performance since the launch of the digital service. There is now an installed base of 257,000 digital set-top boxes, compared to 228,000 at the end of the third quarter.
Internet cable modem
The Company's high-speed cable-modem Internet service posted record growth for the second consecutive quarter. The number of subscribers rose by 27,000 from 379,000 to 406,000, maintaining the pace of increase reported in the third quarter.
The Company's focus on sales since Spring 2003, combined with its commitment to deliver services that meet consumer expectations and the return to work of its employees, has been fruitful, , attracting new customers on the strength of Vidéotron's targeted promotion and marketing campaign, effective support for its retail network, and superior products that offer unique advantages such as:
Simultaneous access to digital and analog television
Interactive services
Video on Demand
The fastest high-speed Internet service on the market, featuring free access to exclusive content and backstage webcam feeds from Star Académie 2004.
Vidéotron Ltée, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Quebecor Média inc., is an integrated communications company active in cable television, interactive multimedia development and Internet access services. Vidéotron Ltée is a leader in new technologies, thanks to illico, its interactive television system and its highbandwidth network allowing it to offer, among other services, high-speed cable Internet access, analog and digital TV services. In Quebec, Vidéotron serves 1,433,000 million cable customers; more than 240,000 also subscribe to interactive TV on its digital service illico. Vidéotron is also the leader in highspeed cable Internet access throughout Quebec, with more than 435,000 Internet customers by cable modem and dial-up modem.
