Nov 2 (Reuters) - Canadian telecommunications company BCE Inc BCE.TO reported a better-than-expected quarterly profit on Thursday on higher subscriber additions in its wireless network.
The company said it added almost 200,000 net new broadband postpaid wireless, internet and IPTV subscribers in the third quarter, up more than 8 percent from a year earlier.
BCE, popularly known as Bell, is investing heavily in network upgrades to compete with rival Rogers Communications Inc RCIb.TO , which also posted strong wireless activity. BCE's net income attributable to its shareholders rose to C$770 million ($600 million) in the third quarter from C$752 million a year earlier.
Excluding one-time items, the company reported a profit of 88 Canadian cents per share, beating analysts' average estimate of 85 Canadian cents, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.
BCE's operating revenue rose 5 percent to C$5.68 billion. ($1 = 1.2844 Canadian dollars)