StarChoice Up To 871,634 Subs..Now 20 HD Channels..Stock Up 8% Today...70% vs Jan 06

Hold on....Starchoice/Shaw shares up GOING UP!!!! http://investdb.theglobeandmail.com/...isting=SJR.B-T


From today's News Release...


OPERATING HIGHLIGHTS


- Free cash flow for the quarter was $31.7 million compared to $0.1 million for the same period last year.


- Star Choice added 2,426 customers to total 871,634.


- For the second year in a row Star Choice received the SQM Group Inc. award for its customer satisfaction rating for customer contact in a call centre within the Telecommunications and TV Industry.


Service revenue improved 8.4% over the same quarter last year primarily as a result of rate increases and customer growth. Effective September 1, 2006 Star Choice implemented rate increases on a number of packages which were fully implemented in September and generate additional revenue of approximately $1.5 million per month. Service operating income before amortization increased 29.7% over the comparable three month period to $62.0 million. The improvement was primarily due to the growth in service revenue, lower bad debt, the recovery of provisions related to certain contractual matters, and certain reduced expenses.


Service revenue increased 4.4% over the fourth quarter of fiscal 2006 primarily due to rate increases and customer growth. Service operating income before amortization improved 6.3% over this same quarter primarily due to revenue growth.


Capital spending of $20.2 million decreased $17.2 million over the comparable three month period. Quarterly success based capital expenditures of $18.4 million was $11.8 million lower mainly due to favorable pricing on receivers and reduced activations. Spending in Transponders and Other decreased $5.4 million over the comparable period primarily due to spending in the comparable quarter on uplink equipment to add additional transponder capacity.


During the quarter, and for the second consecutive year, Star Choice was recognized by SQM Group Inc., receiving their award for customer satisfaction within the Telecommunications and TV Industry. In addition to the focus on customer service, Star Choice has also undertaken several initiatives to enhance the quality of the programming service it offers by continually adding popular channels and new HD channels. Star Choice expanded their channel line up with new HD programming adding A&E HD, Super Ecran HD and Discovery HD during the quarter, and most recently added Showcase HD and National Geographic HD. They now offer 20 HD channels