Rogers 2015 Annual Report Download - page 34

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS
DRIVE GROWTH IN THE BUSINESS MARKET
• Launched Managed Wi-Fi as a Service, a suite of services that
gives business customers the ability to easily manage and
monitor their network and performance from any location and
tailor alerts by activity.
• Introduced “leapfrog” global cybersecurity solutions as a service
to help protect Canadian businesses. Through a partnership with
Trustwave Inc., a global leader in cybersecurity services, our new
suite of cybersecurity solutions will give businesses access to a
team of experts who will help them manage real-time
monitoring of security events, proactively run cybersecurity
diagnostics, and maintain their network infrastructure.
• Introduced Rogers Voice with Skype for Business, a cloud-based
tool that lets businesses experience the commercial version of
Skype with enhanced features and better communication with
their teams, partners, and customers.
• Expanded our third Toronto data centre, doubling our available
floor space capacity. This next generation data centre is ‘Uptime
Certified Tier III’ for design and construction, providing
customers with best-in-class uptime guarantees for their mission-
critical applications.
• Deployed the GSMA Embedded SIM Specification of the M2M
World Alliance, a global coalition of telecommunications
providers. This standard allows for remote wireless provisioning
of machine-to-machine (M2M) devices, significantly reducing the
cost and time for enabling globally connected devices.
• Recognized, along with AT&T, Verizon, and Vodafone, as a world
leader in the M2M retail space by prominent global market
research firm Research and Markets. Rogers is a Canadian leader
in M2M and this recognition affirms our belief that our in-market
solutions for business are world class.
INVEST IN AND DEVELOP OUR PEOPLE
• Recognized again as a Top Employer for 2016 in November
2015 and as a Top Employer for Young People in May 2015 by
the editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers.
• Selected as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers for 2015 in
a report released by Mediacorp Inc. in March 2015 for
recognition of our efforts to promote diversity and inclusion in
the workplace.
• Named one of Canada’s Greenest Employers for 2015 by the
editors of Canada’s Top 100 Employers in April 2015, an award
that recognizes employers with innovative environmental
programs and earth-friendly policies that actively involve their
employees.
• Named one of the 50 Best Corporate Citizens in Canada by
Corporate Knights in June 2015, an award that recognizes
employers that incorporate social, economic, and ecological
benefits and costs in their normal course of business.
DELIVER COMPELLING CONTENT EVERYWHERE
• Sportsnet was the most-watched televised sports brand in
Canada, as verified by data collected by Numeris, a leading
broadcast measurement source, between May 2014 and May
2015. Following a year of double-digit audience growth and
record-setting ratings, for the first time in its 17-year history, more
Canadians tuned in to Sportsnet channels than to the
competition. In October 2015, driven by our Toronto Blue Jays’
unforgettable 2015 MLB Postseason and the launch of the 2015-
2016 NHL season, Sportsnet recorded its best month ever – and
the best month ever for a sports TV network in Canada – for
audience share, based on data collected by Numeris.
• Introduced Rogers IGNITE Gigabit Internet; expected to cover
Rogers’ entire cable footprint by the end of 2016.
• Launched 4K TV and 4K set-top boxes; in 2016, we will broadcast
over 100 live sporting events in 4K, including every 2016 Toronto
Blue Jays home game and over 20 marquee NHL games.
• Successfully and profitably completed the first year of our
exclusive 12-year national NHL Agreement while bringing the
NHL to more Canadians than ever before. We provided
Canadians with new ways to experience games, through NHL
GameCentre Live and NHL GamePlus, and on multiple platforms
such as their computer, mobile phone, or tablet. Rogers
Hometown Hockey has returned for a second season and is
rolling into 24 new Canadian communities during the 2015-2016
NHL season with even more hockey festivities and entertainment.
• Introduced Fido Pulse wireless plans, delivering more value by
including a 24-month subscription to Spotify Premium, one of
the world’s most innovative music streaming services, and access
to exclusive Daily VICE, an edgy, ground-breaking news app.
• Acquired exclusive Canadian English-language multimedia
rights for Sportsnet to the 2016 World Cup of Hockey, including
television, online, and mobile rights for every game of the highly-
anticipated tournament.
• Broadened the popular shomi video streaming service, making it
available to all Canadians from coast to coast. shomi offers
numerous exclusive series and expert-recommended
collections, including programming for kids and families, not
offered on other services. shomi is accessible to Canadians on
their TVs and a variety of other platforms, including tablets,
mobile, online, Xbox 360, PlayStation 4, Apple TV, and
Chromecast. More titles and exclusive content were also added
to shomi through an agreement with Corus Entertainment.
• Announced a five-year renewal agreement through 2020 as the
title sponsor for the Rogers Cup professional tennis tournament,
with Sportsnet garnering coverage rights for a comprehensive
suite of televised, online, mobile, and multimedia platforms. The
Rogers Cup is a renowned international professional tennis
tournament and supports a key pillar in our strategy of delivering
world-class content and experiences to Canadians.
• Expanded Texture by Next Issue for French-speaking and
bilingual Canadians by adding 20 Québec-based French-
language magazines to the more than 170 Canadian and US
English magazines already on offer. In addition to providing full
magazine issues, we also introduced more personalization for
readers and more opportunity to search for and discover specific
articles and stories of interest.
• Rogers and VICE Media LLC (VICE) unveiled a world-class
Canadian production studio and announced a new specialty
channel, VICELAND, to be launched in early 2016. VICELAND
will feature hundreds of hours of new and exclusive
programming developed and produced by the young, creative
minds that are the heart and soul of VICE.
32 ROGERS COMMUNICATIONS INC. 2015 ANNUAL REPORT