MONTREAL — Rogers Communications Inc. (TSX:RCI.B) faced tougher cellphone competition from players big and small alike as the country’s largest wireless carrier saw its second-quarter profit drop by nine per cent.
“We’re selling and competing in an increasingly competitive market,” Rob Bruce, president of Rogers’ wireless division, said Tuesday.
Rogers said it was hit on a number of fronts in the cellphone market after reporting its net income slipped to $410 million, or 75 cents a share, down from $452 million or 77 cents a share a year ago.
“We delivered the results today against a backdrop of fairly intense competition with our incumbent friends Bell and Telus, particularly in the business space with aggressive pricing and promotions,” Bruce told reporters on a conference call.
Bruce noted that Rogers’ discount talk-and-text brand Chatr and Fido phone services faced continued pricing pressure from Telus’ discount brand Kodoo and Bell’s Solo and Virgin brands. Rogers also felt pressure in the “$15 unlimited space,” Bruce said.
New player Public mobile offers a $15 monthly unlimited talk plan.