MONTREAL – Telus is set to invest more than $1.3 billion in new infrastructure and facilities across Quebec through 2016, the company said Tuesday.
Telus will spend $640 million across the province this year, the final year of a three-year plan unveiled in 2012, and has committed to invest another $700 million in 2015 and 2016 on infrastructure. Specifically, Telus pledged to connect more households and businesses to fibre optics; expand its 4G LTE network to over 80% of the province’s population by the end of 2014; rapidly deploy 700MHz spectrum for use in rural and urban areas; continue the rollout…
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TORONTO – Can court-ordered mediation help pave the way to a deal between and Telus and Mobilicity?
The struggling wireless carrier said late Friday that Industry Canada has agreed to participate in talks “to mediate any outstanding issues relating to the successful completion” of issues related to Mobilicity's CCAA proceedings, which include Telus’ latest $350 million purchase offer.
“If needed, Mobilicity expects that mediation would proceed over the next few weeks”, reads the statement. Those meetings would be mediated by Warren Winkler, a former chief justice of Ontario who was also involved with Nortel Networks and the CanWest/Shaw Cable restructuring.
In addition…
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VANCOUVER – Telus is equipping taxis in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver with device charging stations to keep Canadians connected while they're on-the-go.
In partnership with Play Taxi Media, the first-ever fleet of taxis in Canada featuring cell phone and tablet chargers will roll out over the coming months in 1,000 vehicles, allowing riders to power up their devices free of charge.
The cabs will be equipped with a power docking station located on the backside of the passenger seat headrest and will work with any phone or tablet, plus be equipped with a note on the window to remind customers…
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TORONTO – Telus really wants to buy Mobilicity and has made another bid for the company, despite the knowledge the federal government really doesn’t want to see this deal happen.
Late Thursday, Data & Audio-Visual Enterprises Holdings and its affiliates (collectively, Mobilicity) announced Telus would acquire it for $350 million. The proposed transaction will move forward under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act rules. Mobilicity has been under creditor protection since September.
"The transaction is a good outcome from Mobilicity's restructuring efforts and extensive sales process," said William Aziz, Mobilicity's chief restructuring officer, in the press release. "I am confident the transaction…
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MONTREAL – Telus may appeal a Quebec court decision ordering it to reimburse customers more than $2.6 million for text messaging fees that it collected between 2008 and 2011.
According to a Canadian Press report, the Quebec Superior Court ruled in favour of a class-action suit against Telus that alleges that the Vancouver-based carrier unilaterally changed the terms of contracts for 177,425 customers in Quebec and began to charge 15 cents per incoming text message. If the ruling stands, each customer would be reimbursed about $15.
The company says it notified customers of the price change “well in advance” and offered…
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VANCOUVER – Telus has launched a new initiative designed to help its large business clients drive increased employee engagement, cultural transformation and improved financial performance.
Created in response to requests from external partners and customers, Telus Transformation Office offers learning and technology experts to consult and train businesses in five key areas: leadership and culture; digital readiness and connected learning; career and talent services; onboarding and induction; and flexible work styles. The training is completed through a series of half-day workshops or more intensive tailored consulting sessions, customized based on the client's specific needs. Telus business clients will be…
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VANCOUVER – Telus is offering $1 billion of senior unsecured notes to help pay for its purchases at February’s 700 MHz wireless spectrum auction.
The notes will be offered in two series, the first with a 7-year maturity, and the second with a 30-year maturity. The 3.20% 7-year Notes, Series CO, were priced at $99.739 per $100 principal amount for an effective yield of 3.242% per annum and will mature on April 5, 2021. The 4.85% 30-year Notes, Series CP, were priced at $99.874 per $100 principal amount for an effective yield of 4.858% per annum and will mature on…
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VANCOUVER – Change is afoot atop Telus, kick-started Monday morning by the surprise announcement that president and CEO Darren Entwistle is stepping aside from the role that he has held since 2000.
He will be replaced by Telus veteran executive Joe Natale effective May 8, when the company holds its annual general meeting for shareholders.
At that time, Entwistle will be named as executive chair of its board, following the retirement of chairman Brian Canfield, who has spent 58 years with Telus and predecessor company BC Tel. Canfield will be honoured with the chairman emeritus distinction.
Natale, (pictured), joined Telus in 2003…
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OTTAWA – New food and lifestyle channel Gusto TV is now being served up to Telus’ Optik TV customers in British Columbia and Alberta, and will soon be available On Demand and on the go via smartphones, tablets or computers.
Effectively immediately, Gusto TV in HD is available to all Telus Optik TV customers in the Essentials theme pack on channel 315, and on Telus Satellite TV in standard definition in the Variety pack on channel 619.
“We’re thrilled to be partnering with Telus, expanding Gusto’s reach even further across Western Canada,” said Gusto TV president and CEO Chris Knight, in…
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QUEBEC CITY – Telus said Monday that it is buying security IT firm Groupe Enode Inc. and will fold the Quebec City-based company into its Telus Security Solutions division next month. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Telus, which has been expanding its Internet data security operations after opening data centres in Quebec and British Columbia in 2012, said the acquisition will enhance its end-to-end provision of IT security for businesses in Quebec and across Canada while also protecting its customers' digital data from security threats.
"The number of organizations victimized by security breaches continues to rise every year”,…
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