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Rogers to Deliver the Ultimate Video Experience After Winning 700 MHz Auction

Company takes long-term view to secure ‘beachfront property’

TORONTO, Feb. 19, 2014 /CNW/ – Today Rogers Communications confirmed it
has secured twenty year licenses for two 12MHz blocks of contiguous,
paired lower 700MHz band spectrum in Canada’s major geographic
markets. 

“We went into this auction with our customers’ needs front and centre.
We believe they want the ultimate video experience and this spectrum
will allow us to deliver just that. Not all 700MHz spectrum in the
auction was the same; we secured the beachfront property we wanted. You
either want your customers to have the best for the next 20 years or
you don’t. As Minister Moore said today, the 700MHz spectrum is the
highest-quality wireless frequency ever auctioned in Canada. This was a
clear strategy for the long-term and our customers won,” said Guy
Laurence
, President and Chief Executive Officer.

Customer Benefits of 700MHz Spectrum

The 700MHz spectrum Rogers has acquired benefits all customers whether
they live in cities, towns or rural areas. The spectrum will allow
Rogers to deliver the ultimate video experience and it will carry
wireless signals across longer distances. It will also benefit
Enterprise customers with faster mobile broadband compared to existing
LTE coverage. 700 MHz spectrum has the added advantage of providing
better in-building reception in densely populated cities, allowing
customers to enjoy the speed and consistency of LTE inside buildings. 

Spectrum Acquired in all Major Canadian Markets

Rogers’ new 700MHz spectrum covers 99.7% of the Canadian population. Its
two blocks of contiguous, paired spectrum are located in the key rural
and urban locations across Canada. Specifically, Rogers has acquired
the A and B 12MHz blocks, in Southern Ontario, Eastern Ontario,
Southern Quebec, Eastern Quebec, British Columbia, Alberta,
Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. Rogers has also acquired
12MHz of C block spectrum in Northern Quebec, Northern Ontario,
Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

The Rogers cash investment will total C$3.29 billion which is in line
with recent spectrum transactions in the United States. The price range
for prime 700 MHz spectrum in major United States markets has been in
excess of US$4.00 per MHz/POP.  In the 2008 United States 700MHz
auction, the top 25 markets sold for US$4.50.  By comparison, Rogers
has paid C$4.32 per MHz/POP for the major markets across Canada
securing two blocks of paired spectrum with license terms that are 33
percent longer than comparable 700MHz licenses in the United States.

Please note that due to spectrum auction rules Rogers is not able to
comment further about the auction results for a 30 business day period,
at which point final payments from the auction participants are
required.

About the Company:
Rogers Communications is a diversified Canadian communications and media
company. We are engaged in wireless voice and data communications
services through Wireless, Canada’s largest wireless provider. Through
Cable, we are one of Canada’s leading providers of cable television
services as well as high-speed Internet access and telephony services
to consumers and businesses. Through Media, we are engaged in radio and
television broadcasting, televised shopping, sports entertainment, and
magazines and trade publications. We are publicly traded on
the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B) and on the New York
Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI). For further information about the Rogers
group of companies, please visit www.rogers.com.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements, Risks and Assumptions This
release includes “forward-looking information” within the meaning of
applicable securities laws relating to assumptions concerning
finalizing the acquisition and subsequent deployment of wireless
spectrum as detailed above.  We caution that all forward-looking
information is inherently subject to change and uncertainty and that
actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by
the forward-looking information. A number of risks, uncertainties and
other factors could cause actual results and events to differ
materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking
information or could cause our current objectives, strategies and
intentions to change, including but not limited to the post auction
distribution of the spectrum by Industry Canada or unanticipated
subsequent operational, technological or financial challenges
associated with the deployment of such spectrum that could arise. Many
of these factors are beyond our control and current expectation or
knowledge. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other
factors materialize, our objectives, strategies or intentions change,
or any other factors or assumptions underlying the forward-looking
information prove incorrect, our actual results and our plans could
vary significantly from what we currently foresee. Accordingly, we warn
investors to exercise caution when considering statements containing
forward-looking information and that it would be unreasonable to rely
on such statements as creating legal rights regarding our future
results or plans. We are under no obligation (and we expressly disclaim
any such obligation) to update or alter any statements containing
forward-looking information, the factors or assumptions underlying
them, whether as a result of new information, future events or
otherwise, except as required by law. All of the forward-looking
information in this earnings release is qualified by the cautionary
statements herein.

SOURCE Rogers Communications Inc.