The iPhone has boosted the results of Rogers (T.RCI.B) in the third quarter, a performance that may be difficult to repeat after the launch of the popular device by Bell and Telus next month.

Bell And Telus Take Piece Of Canadian iPhone Market

“The winds will blow soon,” said Jonathan Allen of RBC Capital Markets, shortly after the publication of the results of Rogers yesterday morning.

The Ontario-based company saw its sales and operating profit rise by 2% and 6% between July and October, above analyst estimates. They are, however cautious, now that the exclusive arrangement between Rogers and Apple – the manufacturer of the iPhone – is completed. Bell and Telus will launch next week a new common HSPA network, enabling them to offer more smartphones. The two companies will begin selling the iPhone in November, which will eat away a portion of sales of Rogers.

Moreover, two new suppliers – Wind (Global) Public and Mobile – will launch a wireless service before the end of the year. The increased competition also affect the market shares of Rogers by Jonathan Allen.

An Uphill Climb

For now, the results announced yesterday by the Toronto company pleased the market. The title of Rogers Communications rose 5.4% on the Toronto Stock Exchange, to close at $ 30.46.

The group posted revenue of $3.03 billion in the third quarter from 2.98 billion a year earlier. Profits fell 2% to 485 million (79 cents per share). Excluding certain non-recurring items, earnings per share totaled 82 cents, however, significantly more than the 54 cents expected by analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.

Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA), for its part, has reached 1.18 billion, some 100 million more than the estimate made by Philip Huang, the firm UBS.

“These results show a healthy balance between growth, control costs and increase margins,” saidNadir Mohamed, President and CEO of Rogers.

Wireless

The share of turnover derived from the wireless was up 2% during the quarter to 1.76 billion.

In the current recession, customers are less used their devices to talk to and during their journeys.

In contrast, the use of data transfer – to surf the Internet or send text messages has exploded by 46% during the quarter to 372 million.

Rogers has sold some 370 000 smartphones during the quarter, about half were Apple iPhone.

In the cable sector, which includes television, internet and telephony residential sales increased 7% during the quarter to 773 million.

The media sector has meanwhile saw its revenues decline by 6%, to 364 million..