Rogers Cable Communications Inc. announced today that its High Definition Television (HDTV) service has seen tremendous growth in the last year with the most HD subscribers in Canada. Since January 2005, Rogers HDTV customers have more than doubled with 100,000 HDTV households subscribing to the service. As well, Rogers HDTV customers can select from a growing list of HD channels.
As the holiday season fast approaches, expectations of the number of HDTV sets to be sold are high. According to Eric Stockner, Senior Merchandise Manager, Televisions, for Future Shop, “HDTVs are the hot ticket item for the holidays this year and sales are expected to more than double from previous years.”
Beginning today, Rogers now offers Raptors NBA TV HD on channel 506 which is Canada’s number one source for basketball news, results and live game action. Each week between 10 and 15 NBA and NCAA broadcasts are scheduled with an average of at least 30 hours of exclusive and original HD content.
With the addition of Raptors NBA TV HD, Rogers now offers up to 28 HDTV channels with the widest selection of HD channels in Canada. Coming soon, two more HD channels will be available dedicated to premium sports customers.
“Sports is one of the genres of programming that works really well in HD because the improved clarity of the high definition image allows them to get a superior experience from every channel,” said David Purdy, Vice President and General Manager, Television Services for Rogers Cable Inc. “With sports like basket ball and hockey, it is almost better than being live at the game because you can see every detail, whether it be every play, every bead of sweat, or the expressions on the players’ faces.”
Rogers Digital Cable customers are also demanding a Personal TV experience with 1 in 3 new HDTV customers adding an HDPVR to their service in 2005. Amongst the many features of the Scientific-Atlanta Explorer 8300HD PVR digital terminal is the dual tuner (which allows you to watch one show while recording another or watch a recorded show, while recording two other shows at the same time), pause, rewind and instant replay live television, and record up to 20 hours of HDTV programming or 90 hours of regular television programming. Plus, with the picture-in-picture feature, customers can watch and record one show at the same time and see another show playing in the corner of the television screen.
Rogers Cable is the best provider of television service to Canadians with its Rogers Digital Cable offering that includes High Definition Television (HDTV), the most movies, the most sports, the most multicultural services and Video on Demand (VOD), which is exclusive to cable.
Rogers Cable Communications Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Rogers Communications Inc. Rogers Cable passes 3.4 million homes in Ontario, New Brunswick and Newfoundland, with 67% basic penetration of its homes passed. Rogers Cable pioneered high-speed Internet access with the first commercial launch in North America in 1995 and now approximately 32% of homes passed are Internet customers. With 99% of its network digital ready, Rogers Cable offers an extensive array of High Definition TV, an extensive suite of Rogers On Demand services (including Video on Demand (VOD), Subscription VOD, Personal Video Recorders and Timeshifting channels) as well as a large line-up of digital, multicultural, and sports programming. Approximately 37% of Rogers basic subscribers are also digital customers and approximately 42% are Rogers Hi-Speed residential and business customers. Roger Cable now offers home telephone service (voice-over-cable) in the Greater Toronto Area and Ottawa markets, and will continue to roll out the service across its other cable service areas in the coming months. Rogers Cable also owns and operates over 300 Rogers Video stores.
