U.K. satellite TV operator BSkyB will begin adding broadband ser...
U.K. satellite TV operator BSkyB will begin adding broadband service at no extra charge for TV customers this week, CEO James Murdoch told analysts during a quarterly earnings call last Fri. The firm has been registering customers for no-charge…
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broadband since it announced the deal July 18 (CD July 19 p7), Murdoch said. Broadband subscriber data -- including how many new subscribers the high-speed broadband offering attracts -- won’t be made public until quarterly results are revealed in Nov., Murdoch said. “This is an important year for us,” Murdoch said, noting HD, broadband and interactive endeavors, and calling 2006 the beginning of BSkyB’s “next phase of growth.” The satellite TV firm tallied 38,000 HD subscribers at the end of June, he said. That number was fewer than hoped, Murdoch said, after the service was held up by “hiccups in the supply chain” -- namely, a shortage of Thomson-built HD boxes due to a rush by World Cup soccer fans. BSkyB expects to fulfill the rest of its 90,000 installation orders by Sept., he said. The satellite TV operator launched 10 dedicated HD channels in May. BSkyB’s total subscriber count neared 8.2 million in the quarter, though the growth rate slowed to 77,000 from 83,000 new subscribers added in the same quarter of 2005. Quarterly net profit dropped 35% to $232 million, in line with forecasts, as revenue rose 4% to $1.9 billion. Officials said the lower profit was due to a higher tax charge, operating expenses and finance costs in the quarter.