Bell MTS officially launched March 17 following the completion of BCE Inc.'s purchase of Manitoba Telecom Services (MTS) in a multi-billion dollar transaction that sees Bell Canada gain approximately 710,000 new customers and become the biggest mobile phone service provider in Manitoba with 470,000 subscribers.
"Bell is proud to b e a major investor in Manitoba's future, enabling economic development with the most advanced network infrastructure and service innovations for consumers and business customers," said Bell Canada president and CEO George Cope in a March 17 press release. "With the talent and experience of the MTS team backed by Bell's scale and proven broadband strategy, Bell MTS will lead the way in Manitoba's competitive communications industry."
Bell MTS has $1 billion in broadband expansion planned for Manitoba's cities, traffic corridors and remote and rural locations over the next five years and Winnipeg will be the headquarters of the company's Western Canada operations.
The company announced that 4G LTE wireless service is now available in Churchill.
"I'm excited to announce that we've successfully delivered our first Bell MTS infrastructure project today: new 4G LTE wireless service for the town of Churchill," said Dan McKeen, vice-chair for Bell MTS and Western Canada as well as senior vice-president of small business, who will lead Bell MTS. "A growing ecotourism and research centre, the polar bear capital of the world is now served by the mobile network ranked faster than any in Canada and the United States, and will soon be connected with new broadband fibre connections. It's a great MTS plan to efficiently deliver the outstanding TV, Internet, mobile and business services to Manitobans."
Other plans already completed or planned for Manitoba include continuous broadband wireless coverage along Highway 6 from Thompson to Winnipeg, expansion of mobile and wireline broadband networks in the mining centre of Flin Flon, and new wireless services for remote locations, including the indigenous communities of Easterville, Gods Lake Narrows, Gods River, Grand Rapids and Red Sucker Lake.
Bell MTS says it will maintain current MTS wirless price plans for at least one year beginning March 17. As a result of the acquisition, Bell MTS wireless services will become available at The Source, Tbooth Wireless and WirelessWave locations in Manitoba.
