Aliant
Encyclopedia
Bell Aliant Inc. is a communications company providing services in various areas throughout eastern Canada
, as Bell Aliant throughout Atlantic Canada
, and under the NorthernTel
, and Télébec
brands in rural areas of Ontario
and Quebec
.
Bell Canada
presently owns about 44% of the group and exercises management control.
(MT&T), Island Telecom
, Bruncor
(parent of NBTel
), and NewTel Enterprises
(parent of NewTel Communications
), then the four main incumbent telephone
companies in Nova Scotia
, Prince Edward Island
, New Brunswick
and Newfoundland and Labrador
respectively. Aliant was approximately 53% owned by Bell Canada. At the time that Aliant Inc. was being formed, the executives of the four merging companies agreed to a co-operative management strategy which would see no specific province have a Bell Aliant head office; instead the headquarters functions would be spread across its constituent companies.
On March 7, 2006, Bell and Aliant announced plans to merge Aliant's operations into those of Bell. Specifically, Aliant's "high growth" wireless and retail (DownEast) networks would be folded into Bell's wholly owned Bell Mobility
and Bell World operations, respectively. Aliant, under a new income trust structure, would acquire Bell's "regional" landline operations (i.e. outside of major city centres) in Ontario and Quebec. This created the significant challenges involved with merging English-speaking operations with French-speaking operations. The transaction was completed on July 7, 2006, and saw the appointment of Stephen Wetmore, formerly of Bell, as President and CEO. Bell Canada retained 45% of the restructured Aliant.
Fund units representing about 28.5% of Bell Aliant were distributed to shareholders of Bell's parent company, BCE. Shareholders of the former Aliant Inc. received units representing 26.5% of the firm. (The company would convert back to a regular corporation at the end of 2010.)
The purpose was to separate out the more stable (or low-growth) parts of Bell's holdings, i.e. wireline operations in markets with relatively little competition, to satisfy investors. The restructuring was not expected to have any effect on end consumers in terms of existing pricing or bundling practices. Meanwhile, Bell Canada proper continues to have full control over its wireless and satellite/cable operations throughout Canada, as well as wireline operations in major centres such as Toronto
, Ottawa
, Montreal
, and surrounding areas.
Bell Aliant has also assumed Bell's 63.4% interests in both NorthernTel
and Télébec
. Since January 30, 2007, both are 100%-owned by Bell Aliant. Both firms continue to operate their own wireless networks.
In late 2009, Bell Aliant launched its FibreOP service with deployment commencing in New Brunswick
, followed by simultaneous deployments in Nova Scotia
and Prince Edward Island
in 2010-2011 with the service available to approximately 600,000 customers in urban centres across the three provinces by 2012. The FibreOP service will cover an entire urban area with a fibre optic network to offer IPTV
and high speed internet. This is an evolution of earlier efforts that saw Bell Aliant predecessor NB Tel deploy television services in the Saint John, New Brunswick
urban area in the 1990s, followed by a similar deployment in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The new FibreOP network will provide Internet speeds of up to 70 Mbit/s down and 30 Mbit/s up and 170 Mbit/s down and 30 Mbit/s up in Nova Scotia and will be bundled with Bell Aliant's television and residential telephone services.
and Quebec
. Similarly, the former Aliant wireless and retail networks initially operated under the "Aliant" brand in Atlantic Canada
, albeit now under the direct control of Bell. Wireless services transitioned to the Bell brand in April 2008).
In Atlantic Canada, Bell Aliant's services include high-speed and dial-up internet access, wireline telephone service, and IPTV
cable television
. Its main competitors are the region's incumbent cable providers - EastLink (NS
, rural NL
and PEI
) and Rogers Communications
(NB
and NL
) who had eroded on Bell Aliant's market share until mid 2009, at which time Bell Aliant launched FibreOP, and as of mid 2011 was available to 294,000 homes and businesses in Atlantic Canada, providing the fastest Internet and best-in-market TV product in its markets.
Services in Ontario and Quebec are similar, except that Bell Canada itself retains responsibility for all IPTV services there.
, which was acquired by Alltel
in 1999. (The Atlantic Canadian firm in fact acquired the rights to the "Aliant" trademark immediately after Alltel's acquisition was finalized.)
It is also not related to Alliant Energy
, an electric company based in Wisconsin
.
Other unrelated companies include:
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, as Bell Aliant throughout Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
, and under the NorthernTel
NorthernTel
NorthernTel is a telephone company in Ontario, Canada.NorthernTel began in April 1905 in New Liskeard, Ontario, as the Temiskaming Telephone Company. It grew by buying other regional telephone providers and became the Northern Telephone Company Ltd. in 1928...
, and Télébec
Télébec
Télébec is a telephone company located in the province of Quebec in Canada. It serves various sectors like the James Bay territory area, the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region, parts of central and southern Quebec and parts of the Outaouais region....
brands in rural areas of Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
.
Bell Canada
Bell Canada
Bell Canada is a major Canadian telecommunications company. Including its subsidiaries such as Bell Aliant, Northwestel, Télébec, and NorthernTel, it is the incumbent local exchange carrier for telephone and DSL Internet services in most of Canada east of Manitoba and in the northern territories,...
presently owns about 44% of the group and exercises management control.
History
The current firm is the successor to Aliant Inc., formed from the 1999 merger of Maritime Telephone and Telegraph CompanyMaritime Telephone and Telegraph Company
Maritime Telephone and Telegraph Company was founded around 1910 in Halifax, Nova Scotia and provided telecommunications solutions to Nova Scotia until 1998 when it merged with Island Telecom, NBTel, and NewTel Communications to form Aliant .Many payphones in Nova Scotia are still MTT-branded.In...
(MT&T), Island Telecom
Island Telecom
Island Telecom was a telephone service provider in Prince Edward Island.Founded in 1885 as the Prince Edward Island Telephone Company , the company formed a formal alliance with Nova Scotia-based MT&T early on, which resulted in the agreement to share the 902 area code...
, Bruncor
Bruncor
Bruncor, based in Saint John, New Brunswick was a Canadian telecommunications holding company and the parent company of NBTel.Bruncor merged in 1999 with 3 other telecommunication companies in Atlantic Canada to form Aliant ....
(parent of NBTel
NBTel
NBTel was founded as the New Brunswick Telephone Company in 1888 after Bell Telephone Company of Canada's attempt to establish telephone service in the Maritime provinces failed. The company purchased the assets in New Brunswick, Canada from Bell Canada in 1889...
), and NewTel Enterprises
NewTel Enterprises
NewTel Enterprises was the holding company that owned NewTel Communications, a telephone service provider in Newfoundland and Labrador.-External links:*...
(parent of NewTel Communications
NewTel Communications
NewTel Communications was a telephone, internet and cellular service provider in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Originally, as the Avalon Telephone Company, it served the Avalon Peninsula; it became the Newfoundland Telephone Company, also serving southwestern Newfoundland ,...
), then the four main incumbent telephone
Telephone
The telephone , colloquially referred to as a phone, is a telecommunications device that transmits and receives sounds, usually the human voice. Telephones are a point-to-point communication system whose most basic function is to allow two people separated by large distances to talk to each other...
companies in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
and Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
respectively. Aliant was approximately 53% owned by Bell Canada. At the time that Aliant Inc. was being formed, the executives of the four merging companies agreed to a co-operative management strategy which would see no specific province have a Bell Aliant head office; instead the headquarters functions would be spread across its constituent companies.
Bell Mobility
Bell Mobility is a CDMA and HSPA+ based wireless network and the division of Bell Canada which sells wireless services in Canada...
and Bell World operations, respectively. Aliant, under a new income trust structure, would acquire Bell's "regional" landline operations (i.e. outside of major city centres) in Ontario and Quebec. This created the significant challenges involved with merging English-speaking operations with French-speaking operations. The transaction was completed on July 7, 2006, and saw the appointment of Stephen Wetmore, formerly of Bell, as President and CEO. Bell Canada retained 45% of the restructured Aliant.
The purpose was to separate out the more stable (or low-growth) parts of Bell's holdings, i.e. wireline operations in markets with relatively little competition, to satisfy investors. The restructuring was not expected to have any effect on end consumers in terms of existing pricing or bundling practices. Meanwhile, Bell Canada proper continues to have full control over its wireless and satellite/cable operations throughout Canada, as well as wireline operations in major centres such as Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, and surrounding areas.
Bell Aliant has also assumed Bell's 63.4% interests in both NorthernTel
NorthernTel
NorthernTel is a telephone company in Ontario, Canada.NorthernTel began in April 1905 in New Liskeard, Ontario, as the Temiskaming Telephone Company. It grew by buying other regional telephone providers and became the Northern Telephone Company Ltd. in 1928...
and Télébec
Télébec
Télébec is a telephone company located in the province of Quebec in Canada. It serves various sectors like the James Bay territory area, the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region, parts of central and southern Quebec and parts of the Outaouais region....
. Since January 30, 2007, both are 100%-owned by Bell Aliant. Both firms continue to operate their own wireless networks.
In late 2009, Bell Aliant launched its FibreOP service with deployment commencing in New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, followed by simultaneous deployments in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
and Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
in 2010-2011 with the service available to approximately 600,000 customers in urban centres across the three provinces by 2012. The FibreOP service will cover an entire urban area with a fibre optic network to offer IPTV
IPTV
Internet Protocol television is a system through which television services are delivered using the Internet protocol suite over a packet-switched network such as the Internet, instead of being delivered through traditional terrestrial, satellite signal, and cable television formats.IPTV services...
and high speed internet. This is an evolution of earlier efforts that saw Bell Aliant predecessor NB Tel deploy television services in the Saint John, New Brunswick
Saint John, New Brunswick
City of Saint John , or commonly Saint John, is the largest city in the province of New Brunswick, and the first incorporated city in Canada. The city is situated along the north shore of the Bay of Fundy at the mouth of the Saint John River. In 2006 the city proper had a population of 74,043...
urban area in the 1990s, followed by a similar deployment in Halifax, Nova Scotia. The new FibreOP network will provide Internet speeds of up to 70 Mbit/s down and 30 Mbit/s up and 170 Mbit/s down and 30 Mbit/s up in Nova Scotia and will be bundled with Bell Aliant's television and residential telephone services.
Operations
Currently, the company operates as "Bell Aliant" (simply "Aliant" until spring 2009) in Atlantic Canada and as "Bell" in OntarioOntario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. Similarly, the former Aliant wireless and retail networks initially operated under the "Aliant" brand in Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
, albeit now under the direct control of Bell. Wireless services transitioned to the Bell brand in April 2008).
In Atlantic Canada, Bell Aliant's services include high-speed and dial-up internet access, wireline telephone service, and IPTV
IPTV
Internet Protocol television is a system through which television services are delivered using the Internet protocol suite over a packet-switched network such as the Internet, instead of being delivered through traditional terrestrial, satellite signal, and cable television formats.IPTV services...
cable television
Cable television
Cable television is a system of providing television programs to consumers via radio frequency signals transmitted to televisions through coaxial cables or digital light pulses through fixed optical fibers located on the subscriber's property, much like the over-the-air method used in traditional...
. Its main competitors are the region's incumbent cable providers - EastLink (NS
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, rural NL
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
and PEI
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
) and Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications Inc. is one of Canada's largest communications companies, particularly in the field of wireless communications, cable television, home phone and internet with additional telecommunications and mass media assets...
(NB
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
and NL
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
) who had eroded on Bell Aliant's market share until mid 2009, at which time Bell Aliant launched FibreOP, and as of mid 2011 was available to 294,000 homes and businesses in Atlantic Canada, providing the fastest Internet and best-in-market TV product in its markets.
Services in Ontario and Quebec are similar, except that Bell Canada itself retains responsibility for all IPTV services there.
Other companies with similar names
Bell Aliant is not related to Aliant Communications, a former communications company (companies known as Lincoln Telephone & Telegraph Co. and Lincoln Telecommunications until 1996) based in Lincoln, NebraskaLincoln, Nebraska
The City of Lincoln is the capital and the second-most populous city of the US state of Nebraska. Lincoln is also the county seat of Lancaster County and the home of the University of Nebraska. Lincoln's 2010 Census population was 258,379....
, which was acquired by Alltel
Alltel
Alltel Corporation is a wireless service provider, primarily based in the United States. Before an acquisition by Verizon Wireless, it served 34 states. After the merger, Alltel continues to serve six states, mostly in rural areas...
in 1999. (The Atlantic Canadian firm in fact acquired the rights to the "Aliant" trademark immediately after Alltel's acquisition was finalized.)
It is also not related to Alliant Energy
Alliant Energy
Alliant Energy Corporation is a public utility holding company that incorporated in Madison, Wisconsin in 1981. It consists of two subsidiaries:...
, an electric company based in Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
.
Other unrelated companies include:
- Aliant Financial Corp and Aliant Financial Services Corp, Alabama;
- Aliant Horizons Inc; and
- Aliant Statutory Trust, Alabama.