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may be reasonable and appropriate under the circumstances. This section reflects current views on
uncertainties and main risk factors considered as a part of this process.
Risks Pertaining to Markets and Competition
Broadband telecommunications markets in Canada and Portugal are very dynamic and highly
competitive. They involve intense rivalry between a variety of terrestrial wireline and wireless, as well
as satellite, service providers over a widening suite of broadband services that include fixed and
mobile voice communications, Internet access, data communications, audio and video content
delivery, electronic programming guides and navigation, security and other related or incidental
services. While cable broadband telecommunications providers have entered into the voice and data
communications markets traditionally dominated by incumbent telephone companies, the telephone
companies are increasingly involved in audio and video content delivery, as part of a global
phenomenon known as convergence. A number of new competitors have also entered various
telecommunications markets through the use of the Internet and access to the facilities of telephone
and cable telecommunications companies.
In this converged environment, competition increasingly unfolds over bundles of services offered at
attractive package rates, as competitors strive to meet all the communications needs of residential
and business customers and thus obtain maximum share of their overall communications budget.
Rivalry extends over the composition of service bundles, bundle prices and perceived value,
promotional or introductory offers, term of commitment by the customer, terminal devices and
customer service. The substantial cost of broadband facilities and broadband customer acquisition,
combined with the significant annual growth rates of revenue generating units achieved by
competitors generally tend to make outright price wars on individual services and service bundles
less appealing as a competitive strategy. As markets mature and penetration gains for high speed
Internet access, digital video and digital telephony services abate, retail pricing strategies may
become more aggressive, with resulting downward pressure on operating margins of both individual
services and service bundles.
Cogeco Cable provides “double-play” and “triple-play” service bundles in its various geographic
markets, with various combinations of voice, Internet and video distribution services being offered at
attractive bundle prices. “Quadruple-play” service bundles that include mobile communications have
appeared in these markets, but so far they have had limited effect in the marketplace. Cogeco Cable
continues to focus at this time on its existing lines of service with a view to capturing the remaining
growth opportunities for HSI, Digital Television and Digital Telephony services in its footprint, making
the most efficient use of its own hybrid fibre-coaxial (HFC) plant. Mobile telephone operators are now
offering audio and video content distribution directly to their mobile telephone customers, but this new
form of content distribution has so far had no measurable impact on the use of wireline and satellite
content distribution. As markets evolve and mobility becomes a more cost-effective substitute to
wireline communications, Cogeco Cable and its subsidiaries may need to add mobility components to
its service bundles, through suitable mobile virtual network arrangements with existing mobile
operators.
In Canada, Cogeco Cable faces competition in its service areas mainly from two national direct-to-
home satellite distribution services, Star Choice and Bell ExpressVu (the latter controlled by BCE
Inc., the largest and most widely integrated Canadian telecommunications company), and from
incumbent telephone companies Telus, Bell Canada (controlled by BCE Inc.) and Bell Nordiq (also
controlled by BCE Inc.). Star Choice and Bell ExpressVu both offer a wide range of competitive audio
and video services on a fully digital basis. Telus, Bell Canada and Bell Nordiq all offer a wide range
of business and residential Internet access, voice and data telecommunications services. Rogers,
Telus and Bell Canada respectively operate mobile telecommunications services in Ontario and
Quebec. In addition, Telus now offers audio and video distribution services in the Lower St. Lawrence
area in direct competition with Cogeco Cable. Telus and Bell Canada have recently announced that
they will become income trusts. However, Cogeco Cable and Telus cooperate in other parts of