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“It was a great result for us. It’s not some overnight achievement,” Entwistle said, calling it the result of a decade focusing on customer service.

“When you look at that result, if we beat it again on a go forward basis, that would be a nice thing, but again I don’t think it’s realistic,” he said. “If we can camp out in that zone, I think that’s something to strive for.”

He noted that Telus’ wireless gains came despite it not leading the pack with promotional offers.

Desjardins analyst Maher Yaghi noted to clients that profit likely softened due to higher subsidy costs for high-end smartphones.

“We believe this is an investment in future profitability, and the company is doing well loading customers while the market is strong,” he wrote.

Indeed, the Big Three added 281,000 postpaid wireless subscribers, up from 196,000 in the same period last year.The second quarter is traditionally slower than the second half of the year, where an expected iPhone launch and back to school, Black Friday and Boxing Day promotions attract more customers.

Telus also posted decent additions in its wired business, adding 17,000 internet customers and 5,000 television customers despite intense competition with Shaw Communications Inc., which currently offers faster internet speeds to more customers as Telus accelerates its build out of fibre-to-the-home connections.

Entwistle also focused on Telus’ investment in fibre as a boon for Canada’s future, given its capacity for ultra-fast broadband networks and applications for 5G next generation mobile networks.