BCE's announcement that it will sell about one-third of its Manitoba wireless subscribers to Telus, if the company's proposed $3.9-billion acquisition of Manitoba Telecom Services goes through, has masked some of the regulatory complexities surrounding the deal. Much of the commentary regarding the transaction has focused on the broad question of whether Ottawa will stick to the previous government's obsession with encouraging small carriers to enhance competition. But the historical and existing complexities in the market, particularly the Manitoba market, suggest there are myriad deal-structuring options for both the federal government and the regulators.
Lexpert contributor Julius Melnitzer reports at www.lexpert.ca.