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Shaw Communications Buys Wind Mobile For $1.6 Billion
Canadian broadband giant Shaw Communications has announced that it's buying Canadian wireless operator Wind Mobile in a deal worth around $1.6 billion. "The acquisition of WIND provides Shaw with a unique platform in the wireless sector which will allow us to offer a converged network solution to our customers that leverages our full portfolio of best-in-class telecom services, including fibre, cable, WiFi, and now wireless," stated Shaw CEO Brad Shaw in a statement. After being launched roughly 6 years ago, Wind has roughly 940,000 subscribers across Ontario, BC and Alberta.
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eco
Premium Member
join:2001-11-28
Wilmington, DE

eco

Premium Member

?

Wasn't Wind supposed to be the great disrupter of the Canadian cellular market? So much for that.
elefante72
join:2010-12-03
East Amherst, NY

1 recommendation

elefante72

Member

Re: ?

Lots of problems. Canada is large and has 1/10 the population of the US, so coverage was a problem.

Think about it $1.6 billion is a weekend of revenue for Verizon.

Even in the GTA (Toronto) coverage barely went to the northern suburbs.

You need billions to build a network, and that is why we will probably be down to 3 in the US soon enough, and with the commensurate price hikes. Oh and I forgot, prices won't be going down in Canada either. Thankfully I can roam for free now!
SD6
join:2005-03-26
Pittsburgh, PA

SD6 to eco

Member

to eco
said by eco:

Wasn't Wind supposed to be the great disrupter of the Canadian cellular market? So much for that.

Not necessarily. They weren't bought by one of the other cellular companies. TMO-USA is owned by a big communications company and it has been fairly disruptive. This deal may actually give Wind the capital to expand and be disruptive a la TMO-USA.
eco
Premium Member
join:2001-11-28
Wilmington, DE

eco

Premium Member

Re: ?

That's some pair of rose colored glasses you're wearing. T-Mo is a completely different situation. They're owned by large telecom, yes, but one that does not otherwise compete in the market. You think Shaw is going to give Wind a bunch of resources to then go and compete against it? Dream on. They acquired Wind for the customer base and will either phase the brand out or keep it around as a brand for prepaid service.
SD6
join:2005-03-26
Pittsburgh, PA

SD6

Member

Re: ?

said by eco:

That's some pair of rose colored glasses you're wearing. T-Mo is a completely different situation. They're owned by large telecom, yes, but one that does not otherwise compete in the market. You think Shaw is going to give Wind a bunch of resources to then go and compete against it? Dream on. They acquired Wind for the customer base and will either phase the brand out or keep it around as a brand for prepaid service.

More like I'm open-minded. I think the primary competitors will be the other cellular companies and not Shaw's other telecom services. The purchase price is not justified by customer base alone and I don't care what they do with the brand name, just that they expand and remain a better service than the other cellco's in Canada.

TOPDAWG
Premium Member
join:2005-04-27
Calgary, AB

TOPDAWG

Premium Member

well that sucks

well there goes winds super low prices. You know shaw will not keep the prices wind has. THis is my wind plan right now no way shaw will keep that pricing once the deal is finished. All this for a monster $40 a month.

WHAT'S INCLUDED
Unlimited Data (5GB full speed allotment)
Unlimited calling to Canada and the USA
Unlimited Global Texting
Unlimited MMS to Canada and the USA
World Saver Talk & Text (International Calling from 1¢/min to over 200 places & Unlimited Global Text)
World Traveller (Reduced roaming rates in over 50+ countries)
$5/month in service credits when you bring/buy Your own phone
Up to $600 toward the purchase of a new phone with WINDtab
Voicemail+
Call Control (Caller ID, Missed Call Alerts, Conference Calling, Call Forwarding, Call Waiting)
No Hidden Fees, System Access Fees or Activation Fees
Use your unlimited features anywhere on our network
Fair Usage Policy Applies
Terms and Conditions

Driver8666
join:2014-01-01
East York, ON

Driver8666

Member

Re: well that sucks

said by TOPDAWG:

well there goes winds super low prices. You know shaw will not keep the prices wind has. THis is my wind plan right now no way shaw will keep that pricing once the deal is finished. All this for a monster $40 a month.

WHAT'S INCLUDED
Unlimited Data (5GB full speed allotment)
Unlimited calling to Canada and the USA
Unlimited Global Texting
Unlimited MMS to Canada and the USA
World Saver Talk & Text (International Calling from 1¢/min to over 200 places & Unlimited Global Text)
World Traveller (Reduced roaming rates in over 50+ countries)
$5/month in service credits when you bring/buy Your own phone
Up to $600 toward the purchase of a new phone with WINDtab
Voicemail+
Call Control (Caller ID, Missed Call Alerts, Conference Calling, Call Forwarding, Call Waiting)
No Hidden Fees, System Access Fees or Activation Fees
Use your unlimited features anywhere on our network
Fair Usage Policy Applies
Terms and Conditions

Grandfathering plans and not jacking up the rates on those plans would be one condition. If they grandfathered the plans and then say that they are raising the rates, Shaw could be in big trouble with the CRTC as they won't take that lightly. When Wind eliminated that plan, I got to keep mine because they grandfathered it.

Shaw has to keep those prices, if you are on such a plan before they bought Wind. Government approval still needs to happen. They can deny it. Or attach a laundry list of conditions.
koreyb
Open the Canadian Market NOW
join:2005-01-08
Etobicoke, ON

koreyb

Member

Re: well that sucks

I don't find Wind to be SUPER LOW because it's really average to what you see in the USA on a company like T-Mobile or one of the many Prepaid companies (straight talk). I think if SHAW comes in and starts increasing rates and dropping unlimited data etc. People will leave because the network isn't there and will not be there for some time. Unlimited data is very possible if done the way T-Mobile and WIND do it currently. (FULL SPEED TO A CAPPED LEVEL WITH NO OVERAGES)

I never understood why Bell and Rogers and even Telus never tried doing unlimited everything on their secondary companies as they could have killed WIND in one big swoop. Set a capped full speed... want more full speed? Pay More... but don't cause people to go bankrupt as they do now with overages.. I think there is room for this in the Canadian Market and still offer value to the shareholder and consumer at the same time. I don't believe that in Canada 5 gigs should be at $90+ a month. I also don't believe that Virgin/Fido/Koodo etc should be at the same price point as Bell or Rogers.

Most people who went with Wind, do for financial and fundamental reasons... not because they are the best network or even best customer service.

TOPDAWG
Premium Member
join:2005-04-27
Calgary, AB

TOPDAWG

Premium Member

Re: well that sucks

Because the big guys don't have to give low prices or good plans cause as with Wind when a new company comes along with both good plans and prices they can just buy them and kill them off that way.

Shaw is buying Wind as they see them a future threat to their business so they will get them out of the way now on the cheap.
TOPDAWG

TOPDAWG to Driver8666

Premium Member

to Driver8666
yeah but even if they grandfathered you look for them to kill that anyway they can. want to get a new phone nope not until nope got to give up your old plan.

As much as this sucks for me as wind is perfect for me needs cdns have nobody to blame but themselves for high ass cell phone prices.

tallguy11
join:2002-02-08
Lamont, AB

tallguy11

Member

Re: well that sucks

or just buy your phone outright from another company and keep your grandfathered plan.. i bought the oneplus one and have no reason to ever enter into a contract with a cell carier as long as companies like oneplus exist

TOPDAWG
Premium Member
join:2005-04-27
Calgary, AB

TOPDAWG

Premium Member

Re: well that sucks

yeah I own my phone got it from wind for $250 like year and half ago but we will get to a point where shaw won't support the older phones it will will break one day.

It's a Samsung 4G works fine for me I don't need anything better. Maybe I'll get a new phone right before the deal with done when still locked into my current wind plan.

tallguy11
join:2002-02-08
Lamont, AB
ARRIS TG3482
(Software) pfSense

tallguy11

Member

Re: well that sucks

said by TOPDAWG:

yeah I own my phone got it from wind for $250 like year and half ago but we will get to a point where shaw won't support the older phones it will will break one day.

It's a Samsung 4G works fine for me I don't need anything better. Maybe I'll get a new phone right before the deal with done when still locked into my current wind plan.

there will always be affordable new phones that u can buy straight from the manufatuer.. and i bet we will see more and more phones sold straight to consumers as most of the world works this way... you buy a new phone straight from the manufaturer and hook it up to any company u like...my oneplus one will work on almost any service in the world and only cost me 400 at the time... they are even cheaper now!

TOPDAWG
Premium Member
join:2005-04-27
Calgary, AB

TOPDAWG

Premium Member

Re: well that sucks

well I'll guess we'll see but I would bet shaw will say new phone then you got to give up your old plan. Hell I almost want to go the $55 holiday plan in case I ever need it :P On the spicael $40 one now it's great for me.

tallguy11
join:2002-02-08
Lamont, AB
ARRIS TG3482
(Software) pfSense

tallguy11

Member

Re: well that sucks

ya they probably will do that but they can't stop u from putting your sim card in a new phone that u bought else where.. hell they can't even tell that u swapped the sim into another phone..

ya i jumped on the 49$ alberta plan they had in may unlimited wind away included in it 2gb of data that i double to 4 with the $10 addon and get it for free anyways as they gave me a $10 a month credit for bringing my own device

TOPDAWG
Premium Member
join:2005-04-27
Calgary, AB

1 edit

TOPDAWG

Premium Member

Re: well that sucks

I just jumped on this one. The US calling is what I wanted as my family is in the US and I would call them hung up and have them call me back. I also want to go with the holiday 55 plan I may never use half the shit it has like US roaming but almost want it so I can lock the plan.

I'm also going to guess most on wind are not on contreat so can shaw just change you plan and give you 30 days notice? The following is the plan I'm on now. I was on the $35 one last week but I wanted US calling.

WHAT'S INCLUDED
Unlimited Data (5GB full speed allotment)
Unlimited calling to Canada and the USA
Unlimited Global Texting
Unlimited MMS to Canada and the USA
World Saver Talk & Text (International Calling from 1¢/min to over 200 places & Unlimited Global Text)
World Traveller (Reduced roaming rates in over 50+ countries)
$5/month in service credits when you bring/buy Your own phone
Up to $600 toward the purchase of a new phone with WINDtab
Voicemail+
Call Control (Caller ID, Missed Call Alerts, Conference Calling, Call Forwarding, Call Waiting)
No Hidden Fees, System Access Fees or Activation Fees
Use your unlimited features anywhere on our network
Fair Usage Policy Applies
Terms and Conditions

Driver8666
join:2014-01-01
East York, ON

Driver8666

Member

Re: well that sucks

I'm on that and I pay $45.00 a month as the plan I'm on was grandfathered by Wind. I brought my own phone I purchased from a Mobilicity dealer and I recently bought an Asus Zenfone 2 that handles pretty much everything. Id rather say the f with it and purchase my phone outright. I used to use a Blu Studio C.

If you can afford the $300.00 after tax, and own the phone outright than I suggest you buy it. Works with all the major Canadian carriers and it will work with Wind and Mobilicity. Probably work with the smaller carriers too.

I use the US calling as I was born and raised here, but I lived in Vermont and California from 1999-2013 and have friends I text and call on a regular basis.

I don't think Shaw can change the plan without some major complaints rolling in.

And I'm on a Pay After plan so I don't have to top up my phone before going out. I'm charged for everything after I use the service.