MONTRÉAL, Oct. 22, 2021 /CNW
Telbec/ - Quebecor and Videotron welcome the Federal Court's
refusal to grant Telus's motion for an interlocutory injunction to
halt the award of 3500 MHz spectrum licences in Western Canada.
The Court:
- found that "Telus's arguments are untenable and do not raise a
serious issue" (paragraph 2);
- rejected "Telus's assertion that Videotron needed to have
physical infrastructure in Western
Canada to be eligible" (paragraph 2);
- recognized that "the decisive factor is the public interest in
fostering greater competition in the market for mobile phone
services" (paragraph 4);
- concluded that "the weakness of Telus's case more than
counterbalances any greater harm that Telus might be exposed to"
(paragraph 97).
Quebecor and Videotron are disappointed by Telus's relentless
efforts to block at all costs the implementation of government
policy to encourage the entry of a fourth player into Canada's wireless market in order to create
healthy competition where it does not exist and lower the prices
Canadians pay for mobile services.
The case now moves on to the merits. The arguments of Bell and
Telus, members of the oligopoly, will be heard in a future court
hearing.
The legal manoeuvring by Bell and Telus demonstrates, once
again, that they cannot abide competition and the interests of
Canadians are eclipsed by their financial objectives.
About Quebecor
Quebecor, a Canadian leader in
telecommunications, entertainment, news media and culture, is one
of the best-performing integrated communications companies in the
industry. Driven by their determination to deliver the best
possible customer experience, all of Quebecor's subsidiaries and
brands are differentiated by their high-quality, multiplatform,
convergent products and services.
Québec-based Quebecor (TSX: QBR.A, QBR.B) employs more than
10,000 people in Canada.
A family business founded in 1950, Quebecor is strongly
committed to the community. Every year, it actively supports more
than 400 organizations in the vital fields of culture, health,
education, the environment and entrepreneurship.
Visit our website: www.quebecor.com
Follow us on Twitter: twitter.com/Quebecor
About Videotron
Videotron, a wholly owned subsidiary
of Quebecor Media Inc., is an integrated communications company
engaged in television, entertainment, Internet access, wireline
telephone and mobile telephone services. Videotron is a leader in
new technologies with its Helix home entertainment and management
platform. As of June 30, 2021,
Videotron was serving 1,441,400 cable television customers and
466,600 subscribers to its Club illico video streaming service.
Videotron is also the Québec leader in high-speed Internet access,
with 1,810,200 subscribers as of June 30,
2021. As of the same date, Videotron had 1,530,400
subscriber connections to its mobile telephone service and was
providing wireline telephone service to 872,400 Québec households
and organizations. Videotron has ranked as Québec's most respected
telecommunications company every year for the past 16 years.
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SOURCE Québecor Média inc.