UPDATE 1-Rogers Communications 4th-qtr profit edges up but misses estimates

(Adds details, analyst expectations)
TORONTO, Jan 27 (Reuters) - Canada's Rogers Communications
Inc RCIb.TO ROG.N on Wednesday reported fourth-quarter
earnings that fell short of expectations, with television and
landline phone revenues down and Internet and wireless sales
growing.
The company, which has the largest share of Canada's
wireless market, said it added 31,000 net postpaid wireless
subscribers, who typically spend much more than those who
prepay.
Rogers posted its second straight quarterly gain in
customers under contract, or postpaid, after two quarters of net
defections as the company sought to avoid costly promotional
pricing.
The average Rogers wireless customer paid C$59.16 a month
for service, down 70 Canadian cents from a year ago.
But the expansion of the company's shared-data plans boosted
the average bill for those accounts, which can include wireless
devices for several members of a family.
The Toronto-based company said it expects revenues and
profits to rise 1 percent to 3 percent in 2016.
Rogers, which earlier this week cut 200 jobs in its
margin-squeezed media unit, said it will keep its quarterly
dividend steady at 48 Canadian cents a share.
Meanwhile, its cable television business braced for rule
changes that could result in fewer viewers subscribing to large
channel packages.
Rogers lost 24,000 cable-TV and 15,000 landline telephone
line subscribers, but gained 16,000 Internet customers.
Revenue from Internet customers rose 10 percent as they
migrated to more expensive higher-speed products.
Net income edged up to C$299 million, or 58 Canadian cents
per share, from C$297 million, or 58 Canadian cents, a year
earlier.
Operating revenue rose 2.6 percent to C$3.45 billion, just
below expectations.
On an adjusted basis it earned 64 Canadian cents a share,
compared with 69 cents a year earlier. The average analyst
estimate was 70 cents, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.