BCE secures full ownership of Bell West

BCE has announced the acquisition of Manitoba Telecom’s 40% stake in Bell West, an ISP in western Canada, to give it 100% ownership. BCE paid CND645 million (USD490 million) for the stake. The move comes as BCE and Manitoba seek to end the strategic relationship they forged in 1999, so that they can compete head-to-head in the long-distance and ISP markets. The last tie is BCE’s 16% stake in Manitoba Telecom, which BCE announced last month it plans to sell after completing the Bell West purchase.