Ice Wireless partners Iristel to expand in far north

Private Canadian telecom operators Ice Wireless and its new parent Iristel have formed a partnership to expand mobile, internet and fixed voice services in the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Nunavut, The Canadian Press reports. The expansion deal is aimed at bringing competition to Northwestel, a subsidiary of the country’s largest telco Bell Canada. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has opened up the telecoms markets in the three territories to full competition starting this month. Ice Wireless and Iristel agreed to bundle a range of services, including IP-based, local, long-distance and internet services, while expanding cellular coverage. Earlier in the month Iristel became a major shareholder in Ice Wireless.