iWorld
Q4-2015: Verizon reports 5.8 million Fios video connections
BENGALURU: US communications major Verizon, Inc., reported 5.8 million subscribers for its Fios wireline video services for the quarter and year ended 31 December, 2015 (Q4-2015, current quarter, FY-2015, current year). The company reported an increase of 20,000 net Fios wireline video services subscribers in the quarter. Verizon also added 99,000 new Fios internet wireline connections in Q4-2015 taking the total to seven million.
The company says that Fios wireline internet connections increased 6.8 per cent YoY and Fios video connections increased 3.2 per cent YoY. For FY-2015, more than 70 per cent of consumer Fios internet customers subscribed to data speeds of 50 megabits per second or higher. Verizon says that customer interest continued to grow for Custom TV, which represented about one-third of Fios video sales in Q4- 2015.
The company says that Q4-2015 wireline consumer revenues were $4.1 billion, an increase of 2.6 per cent compared with Q4- 2014. Fios revenues represented 80.4 per cent of the total. Comparing Q4-2015 with Q4-2014, total Fios revenues grew 6.8 per cent, to $3.5 billion, and consumer Fios revenues grew 6.6 per cent. Wireline operating income margin was 7.3 per cent in Q4- 2015, up from 4.4 per cent in Q4- 2014. Segment EBITDA margin (non-GAAP) was 24.2 per cent in Q4-2015, compared with 23.9 per cent in the corresponding quarter of last year.
“In 2015, Verizon delivered strong and balanced results in a dynamic competitive environment while returning more than $13.5 billion to shareholders. At the same time, Verizon built and acquired next-generation network capabilities that position the company to be an innovator in the digital-first mobile world in 2016 and beyond,” said Verizon chairman and CEO Lowell McAdam.
Overall revenues in Q4-2015 were $34.3 billion, a 3.2 per cent increase compared with Q4-2014. For the full year, Verizon reported total consolidated revenues of $131.6 billion. FY-2015 revenues grew 3.6 per cent, compared with FY-2014. Current-quarter and third-quarter revenues include results from AOL. New revenue streams from IoT grew, with revenues of approximately $200 million in Q4- 2015 and about $690 million for FY-2015. This is a year-over-year increase of 18 per cent, says the company.
Verizon’s other segment, wireless, reported total revenues of $23.7 billion in Q4-2015, up 1.2 per cent compared with Q4-2014. Service revenues totalled $17.2 billion, down 5.6 per cent year over year. Over the same period, equipment revenues increased to $5.4 billion, up from $4.2 billion, as more customers chose to buy new devices with instalment pricing. For the year, total revenues were $91.7 billion, a 4.6 per cent increase compared with 2014.
Verizon Wireless reported 1.5 million retail postpaid net additions in Q4- 2015 and 4.5 million for the full year. These net additions do not include any wholesale or IoT connections.
The company says that customer retention remained high, with retail postpaid churn at a low 0.96 per cent in Q4-2015, a year-over-year improvement of 18 basis points. Churn was also 0.96 per cent for the year, an improvement of 8 basis points from full-year 2014.
Verizon added 906,000 4G smartphones to its postpaid customer base in Q4-2015. Postpaid phone net adds totalled 449,000 as net smartphone adds of 713,000 were partially offset by a net decline of basic phones. Tablet net adds totalled 960,000 in the quarter, and net prepaid devices declined by 157,000. At year-end 2015, the company had 112.1 million retail connections, a 3.6 per cent year-over-year increase, and 106.5 million retail postpaid connections, a 4.4 per cent year-over-year increase.
iWorld
Prime Video bets big on India with global originals, films and franchise expansion
Execs highlight scale, travelability and new IP bets as India anchors global strategy
MUMBAI: At Prime Video Presents 2026, the message was clear and confident. India is not just part of the plan, it is central to it.
In a lively fireside chat hosted by filmmaker Karan Johar, Kelly Day, vice president of prime video and amazon mgm studios international, Nicole Clemens, vice president of international originals, and Gaurav Gandhi, vice president for Apac and Anz, laid out an ambitious roadmap. Think bigger stories, wider reach and a sharper focus on building franchises that travel.
Kelly Day, a regular visitor to India, set the tone early. Calling the country “one of the most important markets globally”, she pointed to the sheer scale and diversity of audiences as a driving force behind Prime Video’s growth. Indian Originals, she said, are not just local hits but global engines powering subscriptions and engagement.
That global appeal is already visible. According to Clemens, around 25 percent of viewership for Indian content now comes from outside the country. Shows rooted deeply in local culture are finding fans worldwide, proving that specificity, when paired with universal themes, travels well. From gritty dramas to sharp thrillers, Indian storytelling is increasingly crossing borders with ease.
Clemens, who joined recently to lead international originals, was particularly upbeat about India’s creative range. She highlighted a growing slate of over 100 shows in development and production, with more than 60 percent returning for multiple seasons. For her, the formula is simple. Authentic stories, told well, resonate everywhere.
Adding to the buzz, she teased new and returning titles, alongside a fresh superhero universe, the Kalyug Warriors. It signals a push into new genres while doubling down on familiar fan favourites.
If content is king, distribution is the clever courtier. Day outlined Prime Video’s layered business model in India, which blends subscription, rentals, add on channels and ad supported viewing through Amazon MX Player. The idea is straightforward. Give viewers choice, whether they want premium, free or pay per view.
India, she noted, has also become a testing ground for innovation. Tiered pricing, mobile only plans and language diversity have all been sharpened here before being exported to other markets. In many ways, the India playbook is now influencing global strategy.
For Gaurav Gandhi, the next chapter is about scale with intent. He outlined four priorities. Making Prime Video more accessible, pushing Indian content globally, building stronger franchises and supercharging the films business.
On films, the platform is moving beyond licensing into co productions and now theatrical releases in partnership with amazon mgm studios. These films will eventually stream on Prime Video, creating a full circle from cinema halls to living rooms across 240 countries.
Franchise building remains another key pillar. With hits like The Family Man, Mirzapur and Panchayat already enjoying multi season success, the focus is now on creating the next wave of enduring IP. Newer titles are already lining up for second seasons, signalling a steady pipeline.
What stood out through the conversation was a shared belief. Streaming in India is still in its early innings, and the runway is long. With a mix of local flavour and global ambition, Prime Video is betting that stories from India will not just stay at home, but travel far and wide.
Or as the executives seemed to suggest, the world is watching and India has plenty more to show.
