Toronto based telco Global has announced its plans to return to the Canadian wireless market with takeover bid Manitoba Spectrum from defunct carrier Explore Mobile.
Explore Mobile, which offered wireless service to customers in the province, is slated to shut down in August 2022.
Globalive previously operated wireless carrier WIND Mobile, which it sold in 2015 to Shaw Communications, which rebranded the operator to Freedom Mobile. The company made an offer to buy Freedom back from Shaw in 2022 after it sought to address competition concerns surrounding a C$26 billion merger with Rogers, but lost out to Quebecor.
Globalive said it introduced “industry-changing innovation to the competition” when it was operating WIND Mobile. The company said wireless prices have come down by more than 20 percent under WIND Mobile’s ownership and control. It hopes to achieve similar results for Manitoban with its bid to acquire Explore Mobile.
“We are building a national independent wireless carrier across Canada, and we are acquiring spectrum in all markets to realize our long-term vision of a globally competitive telecommunications market,” said Anthony Lacavera, founder and president of Globalive. Huh.” “Looking at truly competitive markets outside of Canada, it is clear that these results are only possible by offering a national PurePlay wireless carrier without any legacy, fixed-line business.”
The announcement follows Globalive’s repeated digs at the Rogers-Shaw merger and the recent launch of the website NoMerger.ca which enables Canadians to share their message opposing the merger with their Member of Parliament based on the postal code they have provided.
global first was called The Competition Tribunal’s December 29, 2022 decision that allowed the C$26 billion merger deal to proceed.
Globaliv’s bid is subject to Xplor Mobile’s acceptance and customary terms. Globalive says that if successful, the acquisition will bring a strong, stable competitor to Manitoba and the only PurePlay wireless competitor in Canada.
Globalive is also in discussions with Telus to expand its existing conditional spectrum and network sharing agreement that currently covers Ontario, BC and Alberta. The arrangement, which is conditional on regulatory approval, seeks to provide Canadians with better coverage and choice.
