RE: loss of 1000 cable customersAnd let's not forget that if I"m correct that telus/bell satellite tv is a loss leader [and I think I am] every telus/bell satellite install is a net loss. Which means that the more satellite tv customers telus gains, the more money they lose. Plus there's no guarantee that new telus/bell tv customers will bundle anything and isn't that the goal?
Hardly a winning strategy IMO.
I think if I were a telus shareholder I'd like to see the numbers in black and white.
Eg.
How much does each satellite install cost?
What does telus earn from each install?
What's the payback time?
How many satellite installs has telus done to date?
What percentage of satellite tv customers end up bundling their comm/ent needs with telus?
What is the net loss/profit?
My bet is that it's not pretty.
The other interesting thing is that telus isn't doing anything to improve or upgrade service in any areas they deem too small. Which due to the expanse of BC and ALTA is almost everywhere but the large centres. Problem for telus is there's almost as many potential customers in the rurals as there is in Vancouver, Calgary, or other large urban centres and telus will have access to only some of those rurals [telus will not install satellites in many rural areas] only via their loss leading telus/ bell tv scheme. Shaw doesn't have that problem. They're everywhere.
IMO telus is also in for a showdown with the CRTC due to telus policy of cherry picking the locations they are willing to service. I doubt they'll win if it comes to that.
And yeah telus and bell might merge. But then again they might not be allowed to.
LIke the analyst said, "Bet on Shaw."