MONTREAL - BCE Inc. (TSX:BCE) has reported at 6.6 per cent increase in net earnings in the first quarter, although revenue remained almost unchanged year over year. Canada's largest communications company says net earnings attributable to common shareholders were $566 million or 73 cents per share, up from $531 million or 69 cents in the same 2012 period. Revenue rose to $4.34 billion from $4.33 billion, a 0.3 per cent increase driven mainly by a 1.3 per cent increase in wireless, TV, Internet, media and business services such as data hosting and cloud computing.

By Sinead Carew and Kate Holton NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) - Some shareholders of Verizon Communications Inc say they could be happy for the company to pay up to $130 billion for Vodafone Group Plc's stake in their U.S. wireless venture. Reuters reported last week that Verizon had hired advisers to prepare a $100 billion cash-and-stock bid for Vodafone's 45 percent stake in Verizon Wireless, though several major Vodafone investors have said that figure is inadequate.

By Sinead Carew NEW YORK (Reuters) - AT&T Inc reported a net loss of cellphone subscribers in the first quarter as it lost market share to bigger rival Verizon Wireless, sending its shares down about 2 percent. As a result AT&T's revenue missed Wall Street expectations as its subscriber growth was driven by tablet computer users who pay lower monthly fees than phone users.

By Sinead Carew (Reuters) - Verizon Communications Inc posted a higher-than-expected quarterly profit on the performance of its wireless business, which reined in costs without slowing growth. Verizon also ramped up the pressure on Vodafone Group Plc, which owns 45 percent of the Verizon Wireless unit. Verizon has been seeking to buy that stake and take full control of the top U.S. mobile company.