About 100,000 MTS cell phone customers in Manitoba will receive letters in the coming months informing them that they are now TELUS customers after the April 1 closure of a deal between TELUs and Bell, whose purchase of MTS was completed in March.
Approximately a quarter of Bell MTS's postpaid wireless customers and 15 dealer locations have been transferred to TELUS as part of the deal, which was required by the Competition Bureau to ensure competitiveness in the Manitoba market despite Bell's purchase of MTS. The customers will keep their same phone numbers after the switch and have plans, rates and features that match or improve upon their existing MTS plans. The service and rate plans they have with MTS will not change between now and their transfer to TELUS.
“The TELUS team looks forward to welcoming our Manitoba customers into the TELUS family and providing them with a pervasive, high-quality wireless network in both urban and rural areas of the province,” said Darren Entwistle, TELUS president and CEO, in a press release. “TELUS has a longstanding commitment to putting our valued customers first and we will ensure our new clients are supported with a seamless transition. As we expand our presence in the province, we look forward to earning the patronage of Manitobans and showing how truly dedicated we are to providing exceptional customer experiences each and every day.”
As a result of the deal, new and existing TELUS and Koodoo customers will have access to an enhanced network in more places in Manitoba, TELUS says, and access to the same 4G LTE coverage due to a broader network sharing agreement between TELUS and Bell MTS. There will also be four times as many TELUS stores in the province than before.
“Demonstrating our commitment to creating a friendly future for Manitobans, we are making significant technology investments to enable unprecedented health, educational and economic opportunities,” said Entwistle. “Moreover, through our new TELUS Manitoba Community Board, we are putting funding decisions in the hands of local leaders to support grassroots programs and initiatives that will educate, inspire and empower Manitoba youth as well as build stronger and more sustainable communities for generations to come.”
TELUS recently announced that it would contribute $500,000 in annual funding to charitable and grassroots organizations in Manitoba through its new TELUS Manitoba Community Board.
