Full Description

BCE Inc. (BCE), incorporated in 1970, is a Canada-based communications company. The Company is a provider of wireline voice and wireless communications services, Internet access, data services and video services to residential, business and wholesale customers. BCE operates in three segments: Bell wireline, Bell wireless and Bell aliant. Bell, which encompasses the Company's core operations, is the local exchange carrier in Ontario and Quebec and comprises of Bell wireline and Bell wireless segments. The Company also owns 44.2% interest in Bell aliant, which is a carrier in Canada’s Atlantic Provinces and in rural Ontario and Quebec. BCE also holds non-core assets, including investments in CTVglobemedia Inc., Clearwire Corporation and Skyterra Communications Inc. Its subsidiaries include Bell Canada, Bell Mobility Inc. (Bell Mobility) and Bell TV. In July 2009, Bell, the wholly owned subsidiary of BCE completed the acquisition of Canadian electronics retailer The Source. In July 2009, Bell Mobility completed acquisition of the 50% stake in Virgin Mobile Canada.

Bell Wireline Segment

The Company’s Bell wireline segment provides local telephone, long distance, data (including Internet access and information and communications technology (ICT) solutions) and other communications services to residential, small and medium-sized business (SMB) and large enterprise customers primarily in the urban areas of Ontario and Quebec. The Company sells local telephone and long distance services under the Bell Home Phone brand and Internet access under the Bell Internet brand. Through Bell ExpressVu, it also provides direct to home (DTH) video services under the Bell TV brand. The Company’s wholesale business provides local telephone, long distance, data and other services to resellers and other carriers. Its Bell west unit offers competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) services to business customers in Alberta and British Columbia and the wireline operations of Northwestel Inc. (Northwestel) provides telecommunications services to areas of Canada’s northern territories.

Bell Wireless Segment

The Company’s Bell wireless segment provides wireless voice and data communications products and services to residential, SMB and large enterprise customers across Canada. Its wireless services are available to all of the Canadian population. Bell wireless includes the results of operations for Bell Mobility Inc. (Bell Mobility), Virgin Mobile Canada (Virgin) and the wireless operations of Northwestel. Virgin is a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) providing mobile service nationwide.

Bell Aliant Segment

The Company’s Bell aliant segment provides local telephone, long distance, Internet, data, video, wireless and other ICT services to residential and business customers in Canada’s Atlantic Provinces, and in rural Ontario and Quebec. Bell Aliant provides information technology (IT) services through its IT division, xwave. During the year ended December 31, 2008, BCE owned approximately 44.2% of Bell Aliant.

The Company competes with Rogers Cable Inc., Videotron Ltee, Cogeco Cable Inc., TELUS Corporation, Allstream Enterprise Solutions, Primus Telecommunications Canada Inc., Bragg Communications Inc., Maskatel Inc., Shaw Communications Inc. and Vonage Canada.