CRTC Approves Bell Acquisition of MTS Broadcasting Licenses

The CRTC has approved the transfer of Manitoba Telecom Services’ (MTS) Broadcasting Distribution Undertaking (BDU) licenses to Bell Canada, paving the way for the latter to fully acquire the telecom in the province.

The CRTC decision is just one of three regulatory approvals required for Bell Canada to finish their acquisition of MTS.

“We are pleased to receive the CRTC’s decision and will continue to work with Bell to obtain the two remaining regulatory approvals,” said MTS President & CEO Jay Forbes.

“We continue to make progress toward uniting Bell and MTS as we work with federal regulators to complete the remaining transaction approvals,” said George Cope, President and CEO of BCE and Bell, in a statement emailed to iPhone in Canada.

The CRTC approval of this broadcasting license transfer will enable the rollout of Bell Fibe TV in Winnipeg and other locations. Bell says Fibe TV is “a superior viewing experience that’s driving real choice and competition in Canadian television,” offering innovations such as “Apple TV support that aren’t available from traditional cable companies.”

Bell announced a $3.9 billion deal to acquire MTS in early May, with plans to invest $1 billion over five years to roll out broadband network and wireless services across Manitoba.

The Bell-MTS deal is expected to close in early 2017, as the transaction has already been approved by MTS shareholders, Manitoba courts and the CRTC as of today, but awaits the Competition Bureau and federal Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development for their approvals.