Canadian wireless powerhouse
As the American wireless telephone market consolidates, with Cingular Wireless about to take over the #1 position, a similar thing is happening (albeit on a smaller scale) in Canada. Rogers Wireless Communications has announced it will buy Microcell for slightly over $1 billion US. Rogers beat out a bid by Canadian rival Telus Corp.
The move will add 1.2 million subscribers, giving Rogers a total of 5.1 subscribers. Former leader Bell Canada (owned by telephone giant BCE) has 4.6 million, while Telus (strong in the West Coast) has 3.6 million. Rogers' network already claims to reach most of Canada. The Microcell system is also extensive, especially in big cities like Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver.
Rogers Wireless is owned by Rogers Communications, Canada's #1 cable TV company, a major high-speed Internet supplier, a magazine publisher, and an owner of TV and radio stations. The firm also owns the Toronto Blue Jays baseball team. Until recently, Rogers Wireless was called "Rogers AT&T Wireless ". The US company AT&T Wireless, the very one that Cingular is about to acquire, agreed this year to sell its stake in the company back to Rogers Communications.
The acquisition will further concentrate the Canadian media. Rogers Communications is building a national powerhouse that, in its way, goes beyond the US, where telephone and cable TV industries are still distinct.
8:21:07 PM 
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