Globalive ties up with Telus in push to buy Freedom Mobile
BNN Bloomberg
Globalive says it has struck an agreement with Telus to share mobile networks and spectrum -- a move intended to boost Globalive’s effort to buy wireless assets from Rogers
The arrangement comes as Rogers tries to acquire rival Shaw Communications Inc. for about $20 billion (US$15.6 billion) in one of Canada’s biggest mergers ever. The deal has antitrust problems, and Rogers has been negotiating with potential buyers of Shaw’s Freedom Mobile division in a bid to resolve them.
Globalive wants to buy Freedom Mobile, and the contract with Telus is designed to assure regulators and government officials that it will be able to offer a quality network that could compete with Canada’s larger wireless firms.
Under the deal, Telus and Freedom would share networks and spectrum in the three Canadian provinces -- Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia -- where Freedom currently operates, if Globalive is successful in acquiring it. It could be expanded to other regions of Canada over time, Globalive Chairman Anthony Lacavera said in an interview.
