Telus Communications

Telus Communications Inc. (TCI) is the wholly owned principal subsidiary of Telus Corporation,<ref name="AR_20101231"/>Template:Rp a Canadian national telecommunications company that provides a wide range of telecommunications products and services including internet access, voice, entertainment, healthcare, video, smart home automation and IPTV television. The company is based in the Vancouver, British Columbia, area; it was originally based in Edmonton, Alberta, before its merger with BC Tel in 1999. Telus' wireless division, Telus Mobility, offers UMTS- and LTE-based mobile phone networks. Telus is the incumbent local exchange carrier in British Columbia and Alberta. Its primary competitors are Rogers Communications and Bell Canada. Telus is a member of the British Columbia Technology Industry Association.

History

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Telus in Markville Shopping Centre

Telus Corporation was formed in 1990 by the government of Alberta as a holding company to facilitate the privatization of Alberta Government Telephones (AGT), a crown corporation that provided telephone service to most of Alberta outside of Edmonton.<ref name=hist /><ref name=wilson>Wilson, Kevin G., Deregulating Telecommunications: U.S. and Canadian Telecommunications, 1840–1997, Rowman & Littlefield (2000) Template:ISBN page 35</ref><ref name=agt>Alberta Online Encyclopedia, "Alberta Government Telephones" Template:Webarchive Alberta's Telephone Heritage</ref> In 1995, it acquired Edmonton Telephones Corporation (EdTel), the main telephone provider for Edmonton itself, from the city of Edmonton<ref>CRTC Letter dated June 30, 1998. Retrieved February 12, 2008. Template:Webarchive</ref> making Telus the sole provider of telephone service in Alberta. In 1996, Telus was introduced to the public as the consumer brand, replacing both AGT and EdTel.<ref name=hist>About Telus: Company history Template:Webarchive, Telus corporate website. Retrieved February 11, 2008.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

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Telus at Hillcrest Mall

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Telus Garden in Vancouver

In 1998, Telus and BC Tel announced a proposed merger.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The proposed merged company, BCT.Telus Communications Inc., was incorporated separately in British Columbia, with headquarters at BC Tel's office in Burnaby. After shareholder approval BCT.Telus acquired BC Tel and Telus; the merger was completed in 1999. In 2000 the combined BCT.Telus changed named back to Telus Corporation, and the BC Tel brand was retired.<ref name=hist /><ref name=mac>Hunter, Jennifer, "BC Telecom/Telus Merger Template:Webarchive", Maclean's Magazine, November 2, 1998</ref> The merger created Canada's second largest telecom company, with 22% of market share compared to Bell Canada's 42%.<ref name=mac /><ref>Canada's Second Largest Telecommunications Firm Selects Click2learn for Learning Initiative Targeting 28,000 Employees, Business Wire, November 19, 2001</ref><ref>Fact sheet – Telus and the company's R.O.B. placing Template:Webarchive, Telus corporate site. Retrieved February 11, 2008.</ref> American company GTE had held a slight majority of ownership in BC Tel prior to the merger with Telus, and retained a 26.7% share of the post-merger company.

Large swaths of rural Quebec, mainly the Gaspé Peninsula and the north shore, were served from 1927 by an entity known as Corporation de Téléphone et de Pouvoir de Québec, and in 1955, this became known as Québec Téléphone. In 1966, the Anglo-Canadian Telephone Company, a subsidiary of General Telephone and Electronics of Stamford, Connecticut (later GTE), became a majority shareholder in Québec Téléphone. In 1997, Groupe QuébecTel was established to own Québec Téléphone. GTE sold its interests in Québec Téléphone to Telus in August 2000, which renamed it Telus Québec on April 2, 2001.

GTE was itself acquired by Bell Atlantic in 2000, and the company changed its name to Verizon Communications. Verizon inherited GTE's share of Telus, but in late 2004 sold its remaining 20.5% stake. This was so that Verizon could focus more on its own services.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In October 2019, Telus Corp announced it would buy home security provider ADT Inc.'s Canadian operations for Template:CAD700 million (US$527.27 million).<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In January 2022, Telus Communications acquired London-based ISP Start.ca. In June 2022, Telus Communications acquired Altima Telecom.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Parent company

Telus Corporation is a conglomerate, and its wholly owned principal subsidiary is Telus Communications Inc (TCI), according to the 2010 Telus annual report.<ref name="AR_20101231">Template:Cite report</ref>

Labour dispute

After the Telus-BCTel merger, unionized employees voted to certify the Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU) as the sole bargaining agent for the expanded company's workforce. The TWU had previously been the union representing BCTel employees – it replaced the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) in Alberta. A labour dispute between Telus and the TWU began after the previous contract, negotiated with BCTel before the Telus merger, expired at the end of 2000. After Telus made its final offer to the TWU it informed the union of its intention to bring an end to the dispute by unilaterally implementing its April 2005 offer to employees in Alberta and British Columbia. The next day the union went on strike in British Columbia while Telus locked out its unionized workers in Alberta, although (as is common in disputes where an employer attempts to unilaterally implement a new contract) the union consistently referred to the dispute as a "lockout."

On July 25, 2005, Telus blocked its Internet subscribers from accessing a website supporting striking union members. The company expressed concerns over content on the site, saying it identified employees crossing picket lines and encouraged disruptive behaviour,<ref name="CBC" /> while the union alleged it amounted to censorship.<ref name="CBC">"Telus cuts subscriber access to pro-union website", CBC News, July 24, 2005</ref><ref>Doctorow, Cory, "Phone company blocks access to telecoms union's website" Template:Webarchive boingboing, July 24, 2005</ref> The British Columbia Civil Liberties Association issued an official objection to the unilateral blocking on July 26, stating "Telus is leveraging its power as a telecommunications service provider to censor a specific group, shut down debate and limit the messages conveyed about the current labour dispute".<ref>"BCCLA Denounces Blocking of Website by Telus" Template:Webarchive, BC Civil Liberties Association (press release), July 26, 2005</ref> An Alberta court injunction ordered the blocked website, Voices For Change, to remove postings of "Telus employee photos" and other "intimidating or threatening material". The site owner agreed to comply and Telus unblocked the website.<ref>"Alberta court grants interim injunction against posting Telus employee photos" Template:Webarchive, Telus (Media Release), July 28, 2005</ref> Telus and the TWU ratified a tentative agreement on November 18, 2005, ending the dispute.<ref>"64% of Telus Workers Say No to Continued Labour Action", Telecommunications Industry News, November 20, 2005</ref>

Relaunch of Clearnet

Template:Main In April 2011, Telus Mobility relaunched the Clearnet brand as a limited market trial in Kelowna, British Columbia, and Red Deer, Alberta. The company again closed to new business in June 2012.

Non-voting share conversion

In February 2013, Telus exchanged all non-voting shares into common shares on a one-for-one basis.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Purchase of Public Mobile

Template:Main In October 2013, Telus acquired minor mobile phone provider Public Mobile<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and relaunched it in 2015 as a "value brand" MVNO on the Telus network.<ref name=rebranding>Template:Cite web</ref>

Reception

In October 2008, Telus was named one of British Columbia's Top Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc., which was announced by The Vancouver Sun, The Province and the Victoria Times-Colonist.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The company has been accused of taking actions to hinder the emergence of competition in Canadian telecommunications.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> This, along with other industry concerns, has led to consumer<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and industry<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> pressure to reform the regulatory system governing the Canadian telecommunications industry.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Marketing

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A Telus store in Moncton, New Brunswick

Sponsorship

Telus currently sponsors the Telus Spark Science Centre in Calgary, Telus World of Science in Edmonton and Science World in Vancouver. Telus funds the annual Kokanee Crankworx freeride mountain bike and World Ski & Snowboard festivals, both held in Whistler, British Columbia.

Telus was a sponsor and marketing partner of Hockey Canada since 2004 and the title sponsor of Canada's national midget hockey championship, the Telus Cup, since 2005.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Telus has been a sponsor of Rogers Sportsnet's regional broadcasts of Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers games. Telus has been the title sponsor of the Telus Skins Game in addition to several tournaments on the Canadian Tour, including the Telus Open, Telus Calgary Open, Telus Edmonton Open and the Telus Vancouver Open.

Telus is the namesake tenant in several office buildings, including The Telus Convention Centre and Telus Sky in Calgary, Tour Telus in Montreal, Telus House in Edmonton, Telus Garden in Vancouver, the currently under construction Telus Ocean in Victoria,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Telus Harbour in Toronto.

Beginning in 2014, Telus began sponsoring Canada's largest nationwide technology education event: The HTML500.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In November 2017, Telus announced it would take over as title sponsor for the Vancouver Santa Claus Parade, saving the parade from being cancelled.

Telus is also the sponsor for the PEPS multifunctional stadium of Université Laval, in Quebec City. This 12,750-seat stadium is the home of the Laval Rouge et Or U Sports football team.

See also

• Clearnet Communications
• Cybertip.ca
• Koodo Mobile
• List of Canadian mobile phone companies
• Mike (cellular network)
• Telus TV
• List of internet service providers in Canada

External links

• Template:Official website