BCE purchase of MTS receives final approval, thanks to new competitor Xplornet

By Lesley Hunter

OTTAWA – BCE Inc. got the official go ahead to proceed with its $3.9 billion purchase of MTS early Wednesday after the Competition Bureau and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) offered their respective blessings.As part of the regulatory wrangling, Bell and MTS agreed to transfer 40 MHz of 700 MHz, AWS-1 and 2500 MHz wireless spectrum currently held by MTS to Xplornet Communications who will launch a new mobile wireless service in Manitoba in the coming months. In addition to picking up 24,700 new mobile customers from Bell MTS and six retail outlets in the province, Xplornet will...