UPDATE 1-Canada's BCE posts profit rise on wireless spending

(Adds data on wireless customers, fixed-line businesses)
TORONTO, Nov 5 (Reuters) - BCE Inc BCE.TO posted a solid
rise in third-quarter profit on Thursday, helped by its wireless
customers spending more for service, the Canadian
telecommunications company said.
Bell, as the company is known to customers, added 77,655
postpaid wireless customers, who typically spend more than those
who prepay for service, it said.
The Montreal-based company said its wireless customers on
average spent C$65.34 a month, up 6.1 percent, although it also
paid more to court them amid tough competition.
A greater number of wireless customers are free to switch
providers this year due to regulatory changes.
Its rival and network-sharing partner Telus added 69,000
such postpaid customers, while wireless market leader Rogers
Communications said last month that it added 77,000 in the same
period.
Revenue in its fixed-line business declined as its services
to business were hit by pricing pressure and reduced customer
spending due to slow economic growth.
BCE said it had net income attributable to shareholders of
C$739 million ($562 million), or 87 Canadian cents a share,
compared to C$600 million, or 77 cents, a year ago. Revenue rose
2.9 percent to C$5.35 billion.
On an adjusted basis that excluded severance, acquisition
and other costs, the company earned 93 cents a share.
Analysts had on average expected BCE to earn 85 Canadian
cents a share on revenue of C$5.30 billion, according to Thomson
Reuters I/B/E/S.
BCE added almost 58,000 Internet customers and 68,000
customers for its Fibe TV and FibreOP TV services, down from a
year ago as its expansion of the products slowed. It lost almost
42,000 satellite customers.
The company said it became the largest TV provider in Canada
in the quarter, overtaking Shaw Communications Inc SJRb.TO ,
with more than 2.7 million subscribers.
($1 = 1.3153 Canadian dollars)