After EBOX last February, Bell acquired another major independent telecommunications provider, Distributel, based in Toronto.
Posted at 5:31 p.m.
The transaction, for an amount that has not been disclosed and which must receive regulatory approval, will also allow Bell to acquire the Primus and ThinkTel brands that Distributel owned.
In a press release, it was assured that Distributel will continue to operate independently under the direction of Matt Stein, who is the chief executive officer. He was also until very recently president of the Canadian Competitive Network Operators (CRNO), which represents 24 independent operators. He was particularly critical of the recent decisions of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), in particular that of May 2021 which canceled a significant drop in wholesale internet prices. “Most of the independents are just holding on and have had to pass the increase on to their customers, and their market share has declined a lot,” he told AFP. The Press last May.
“With this announcement, Distributel is better positioned to compete and deliver on its decades-long commitment to provide choice and affordability to Canadians coast-to-coast,” said he declared this Friday by press release. Mainly present in Quebec and Ontario, Distributel has been offering a wide range of telecommunications services since 1988, ranging from residential Internet to mobile and cable television.
Third acquisition
The company has not provided data on its number of customers since 2015, when it reported having 200,000.
“Distributel is a successful company with seasoned industry talent and we are pleased to welcome them to the Bell group of companies,” said Blaik Kirby, group president, consumer market and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). ), bell. Within Bell, Distributel will enhance its innovative services for residential customers and small and medium-sized businesses, leveraging Bell’s resources and technology. »
This is the third acquisition of a major independent supplier by a large telecommunications company in Canada, following those of VMedia last July by Quebecor and EBOX by Bell in February.