Bell Aliant regional telco plan to be completed by 7 July

Bell Canada (BCE) and Aliant have announced that their plan to form the new Bell Aliant Regional Communications Income Fund (Bell Aliant) is expected to be finalised on 7 July 2006. The new income trust will combine Aliant’s wireline operation in Atlantic Canada and Bell Canada’s wireline operation in its regional territories in Ontario and Quebec as well as its indirect 63.4% interest in regional telco Bell Nordiq. Once formed, Bell Aliant will have over 3.4 million local access lines and over 400,000 high speed internet subscribers in six provinces.