News
Canadian cableco completes mobile operator acquisition, pledges to invest in 4G.
Shaw Communications this week announced that it has closed the acquisition of Wind Mobile for an enterprise value of around C$1.6 billion (€1.1 billion).
The acquisition provides the Canadian cable TV, broadband and media company with a way into the mobile market, a vital asset as the trend towards converged and bundled service offerings gathers pace.
"We know Canadians want options when it comes to their wireless provider and, in time, customers can expect to see integrated offerings that provide them with the best value for their dollar in quality of coverage and connectivity," said Brad Shaw, CEO of Shaw Communications.
"With the transformative power of this transaction, Shaw will become a leading pure-play connectivity provider," he added.
Shaw announced the acquisition in December.
Wind is one of the relative newcomers to the Canadian mobile market that have struggled to make their mark faced with the scale of the country’s big three: Rogers Communications, Bell Canada, and Telus. Joining forces with Shaw should help both companies compete more effectively going forward,
According to Shaw, Wind Mobile is the largest of Canada’s non-incumbent mobile players, serving around 940,000 customers in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta. It has 50 MHz of spectrum in each of the three regions.
"Shaw will continue to invest in the wireless network and service offering, including the upgrade of its network to 4G LTE," Shaw’s statement said,
