Sells off B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan customer accounts to Telus
MONTREAL and VANCOUVER – Bell has concluded its purchase of Canadian security and monitoring company AlarmForce Industries and will align it with its existing assets in Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic Canada and Manitoba to offer enhanced connected home services in those provinces.
"Bell welcomes AlarmForce as we build on our position as Canada's most trusted name in residential communications with an accelerated focus on Connected Home technology and services," said Bell’s residential and small business president Rizwan Jamal, in Friday’s announcement. "Building on our leadership and scale in broadband networks and residential services distribution, installation and customer services, Bell looks forward to delivering new and innovative smart home solutions to residential customers throughout Ontario, Québec, the Atlantic region and Manitoba."
AlarmForce currently serves more than 100,000 subscribers across the country with intrusion, smoke, flood and carbon monoxide detection services; automation services including lighting, climate and lock control systems; and in-home and mobile medical alert systems. AlarmForce CEO Graham Badun has agreed to stay on as a special advisor to Bell for six months to support the business transition and integration, continues Bell’s release.
Bell also announced plans to sell AlarmForce’s approximately 39,000 customer accounts in British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan to Telus for approximately $66.5 million, an amount per subscriber equivalent to that paid by Bell, effective immediately. There are no immediate changes to services for any AlarmForce customers, and Bell pledged to work closely with Telus to ensure a smooth transition for these customers over the next several months.
Telus, which has currently connected homes and businesses in more than 100 communities in Western Canada to its gigabit-enabled fibre optic network PureFibre, said this acquisition provides a unique opportunity to leverage its “robust fibre and wireless networks and expertise to continue to enhance connected home, business, security and health services for (our) customers.”
More details on Telus’ home security solutions as a component of its broadband enabled connected home strategy will be announced in the coming months, continued that company’s release.
