WINNIPEG – Bell and MTS have announced plans to bring faster broadband and wireless Internet to Winnipeg’s Innovation Alley as the two companies continue to work closer together while awaiting all approvals of BCE's proposed purchase of the Manitoba telco.
The two companies announced a three-year sponsorship of Innovation Alley Tuesday that will see the technology hub become the launch point for the deployment of Gigabit Fibe Internet and LTE-Advanced wireless in the province. Bell said that would offer access speeds up to 20 faster than those currently available in Manitoba.
The move is part of the combined entity's plan to invest $1 billion over five years to accelerate broadband communications services throughout the province, assuming BCE’s proposed acquisition of MTS receives all necessary approvals. While the proposed $3.9 billion merger has received the go-ahead from shareholders and Manitoba Court of Queen's Bench, it is still subject to regulatory approvals from the CRTC, the Competition Bureau, and the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED).
"We are taking our relationship with Innovation Alley to an entirely new level with this announcement," said MTS president and CEO Jay Forbes, in the announcement. "Providing state-of-the-art communications services and connectivity to this community of entrepreneurs and artists will support the continued growth and success of Innovation Alley. We are proud to continue our long history of supporting both our community and innovation."
"As a burgeoning centre of technology development and opportunity, Innovation Alley is a key driver of Manitoba's growing digital economy," added BCE and Bell Canada president and CEO George Cope. "Bell is delighted to join with MTS to enable the students, creators and entrepreneurs of Innovation Alley to build even more Manitoba success stories with the power of Canada's best broadband networks and services behind them."
