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TAGGED AS MOBILICITY

Federal gov’t facing second legal battle over wireless wipeout

telecom | 08/05/2016 7:11 pm EDT

The Canadian government could end up fighting a war on two fronts over the previous government’s drive to have four national wireless carriers. According to a notice on the Global Affairs Canada website, on June 6 the International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes registered an arbitration request from Egyptian telecom company Global Telecom Holdings S.A.E. (GTH) that “concerns GTH’s investment in Wind Mobile, over the period of 2008-2014.” GTH is claiming damages of “at least $1.32 billion CAD,” the notice said, over...

Shaw says timing, current market dynamics made Wind deal attractive

Media | 12/17/2015 3:43 pm EST

The economics of entering Canada’s wireless market through the acquisition of Wind Mobile today are better than past opportunities Shaw Communications Inc. has had to enter the mobile sector, officials said during a conference call Thursday morning. “By acquiring a company that already has a solid foundation, including spectrum, management expertise and scale, we have significantly lowered our risk of entry, and have done so in a disciplined and prudent manner,” Brad Shaw, CEO...

CRTC tells Mobilicity to move on 911 texting

telecom | 09/11/2015 8:16 pm EDT

The CRTC has told Mobilicity to get its plan for providing deaf, hard-of-hearing and speech-impaired customers with 911-texting capabilities in order. In a Sept. 4 letter to Mobilicity, posted on the CRTC's website, the...

Some Mobilicity creditors might lose out: court documents

telecom | 08/11/2015 2:01 pm EDT

Some owed money by the operators of small wireless carrier Mobilicity might not be fully paid their debt, according to new documents filed in court. The former holding company of Mobilicity, Data...

Rogers buyout of Mobilicity closes

Media | 07/02/2015 10:43 pm EDT

Rogers Communications Inc. said in a press release late Thursday afternoon that its acquisitions of Mobilicity and wireless spectrum from Shaw Communications Inc. have received all necessary approvals and are now closed. Both...

Mobilicity monitor says Wind promotion did little harm

telecom | 05/01/2015 5:41 pm EDT

New court documents show Mobilicity lost only 1,600 customers during the first four months of 2015 despite Wind Mobile’s offer of six months of free service to defectors from Mobilicity. An...

Mobilicity might have lost AWS-3 funding: report

telecom | 03/05/2015 2:42 pm EST

Mobilicity might have been unable to raise the funds to bid in Tuesday’s AWS-3 spectrum auction because a $200-million financing deal fell through just minutes before the deadline, according to a report by the Financial Post. The company, which has been in creditor protection since September 2013, received court approval in January to raise the $62 million Industry Canada required as a deposit in the auction. Mobilicity spokesman Joel Shaffer said in an email that the company had no comment on the report. According to the Post article, Mobilicity received court approval for as much as...

Mobilicity hoping for post-auction sale approval: report

telecom | 02/12/2015 9:11 pm EST

Mobilicity is hoping that spectrum ownership in Canada after two upcoming auctions becomes diluted enough that the government changes course on its previous refusal to allow the sale of the company...

Wind, Mobilicity held recent acquisition talks: report

telecom | 02/11/2015 4:48 pm EST

Wind Mobile had last-minute talks about a purchase of bankrupt carrier Mobilicity in advance of the Jan. 30 application deadline for bidding in the two upcoming spectrum auctions, according to a...

Mobilicity, Wind backers battle in court: report

telecom | 02/02/2015 4:36 pm EST

Catalyst Capital Group Inc., a secured creditor of wireless service provider Mobilicity, is asking for a court injunction that would prevent West Face Capital Inc., an investment firm that was part of the group that bought out...

Wind confirms participation in spectrum auctions

telecom | 01/29/2015 4:22 pm EST

Wind Mobile on Thursday confirmed its participation in the upcoming AWS-3 and 2500 MHz spectrum auctions. The registration deadline for both is Friday. The AWS-3 auction is set to begin on March 3 and the 2500 MHz auction will...

Mobilicity financing plan approved

telecom | 01/28/2015 4:05 pm EST

Mobilicity received court approval Wednesday to access up to $65 million in financing to participate in the AWS-3 auction in March. The approval from the Ontario Superior Court of Justice was confirmed by email by Mobilicity...

Mobilicity, Wind in stare-down as AWS-3 deadline looms

telecom | 01/27/2015 3:39 pm EST

Mobilicity's intent to access up to $65 million in debt to participate in the upcoming AWS-3 auction has important implications for Wind Mobile, which would otherwise face no competition for the...

Mobilicity will not participate in 2500 MHz auction

telecom | 01/26/2015 4:37 pm EST

The latest report from the monitor appointed to oversee Mobilicity’s bankruptcy protection says the carrier will not participate in the upcoming 2500 MHz auction, although it is trying to raise funding to participate in the...

Wind promotion seen as shot against Mobilicity

telecom | 01/15/2015 9:08 pm EST

Wind Mobile's offer of free wireless service to customers of Mobilicity, with unlimited data, text and calls for six months, could be an offensive move to help clear away competition for set-aside spectrum in the upcoming...

Government could ease up on spectrum transfers: Ghose

telecom | 12/08/2014 8:28 pm EST

A Federal Court judge has affirmed the government's authority to block transfers of wireless spectrum whenever it sees fit, though at least one telecom analyst says the government's reluctance to let incumbents accumulate airwaves from rival companies could change over time. Last week, Judge Roger Hughes threw out Telus Corp.'s challenge to the authority of the industry minister to rule on transfers of spectrum between companies as a result of acquisitions even after pre-set moratoriums on selling spectrum have expired. Canaccord Genuity analyst Dvai Ghose said he was not...

Catalyst calls for urgency in Mobilicity restructuring

telecom | 12/01/2014 9:58 pm EST

Recent documents submitted in Mobilicity’s court-monitored bankruptcy process indicate private-equity company Catalyst Capital Group Inc. is anxious to see a new arrangement for the wireless...

Mobilicity granted protection until Jan. 30

telecom | 11/28/2014 7:25 pm EST

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has approved Mobilicity’s request for an extension of bankruptcy protection until Jan. 30. A court filing, obtained from the wireless carrier’s public relations provider Longview...

Court documents hint Mobilicity arrangement drawing near

telecom | 11/26/2014 7:02 pm EST

Court documents filed in the bankruptcy protection case of wireless carrier Mobilicity suggest talks with other parties regarding a sale, merger or partnership are progressing and could materialize...

Catalyst would fund spectrum purchase for Mobility: report

telecom | 11/24/2014 10:25 pm EST

Catalyst Capital Group Inc. would help fund Mobilicity's purchase of new spectrum in the government's AWS-3 auction next year, its leader said in an interview with the Globe and Mail. An...

Court dismisses Amdocs case against Mobilicity

telecom | 10/06/2014 9:24 pm EDT

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice has ruled against a supplier that was seeking millions of dollars in payment from Mobilicity, which has been in bankruptcy protection for more than a year. Amdocs Inc., a Missouri-based provider of licensed billing, customer care, ordering and operational-support system products, appeared in court last Thursday arguing the struggling wireless provider should pay it almost $2.9 million. Regarding the $1.8 million in implementation fees Amdocs was seeking, the decision from Judge Frank Newbould issued Monday said it was invalid because "Amdocs is...

Amdocs seeking $2.9M from Mobilicity

telecom | 09/29/2014 5:34 pm EDT

Recent court filings show Amdocs Inc. is seeking almost $2.9 million in payments from Mobilicity. Amdocs, a Missouri-based provider of licensed billing, customer care, ordering and operational-support system products, said in a...

Mobilicity creditor protection extended

telecom | 09/25/2014 8:08 pm EDT

Mobilicity has been granted an extension of its creditor protection until Dec. 1, William Aziz, Mobilicity's chief restructuring officer, said in a statement Thursday. He said the order was granted by the Ontario Superior...

Mobilicity shuts down cell sites, asks for bankruptcy extension

telecom | 09/19/2014 8:40 pm EDT

Mobilicity is asking for another extension to its creditor protection, telling the judge overseeing its bankruptcy that the carrier has removed cell towers and shut down its Vancouver sales office in...

Mobilicity less attractive than Wind for Quebecor: analyst

telecom | 06/25/2014 7:07 pm EDT

New-entrant wireless carrier Mobilicity is in a holding pattern after the collapse of a buyout deal with Telus Corp. that could harm its chances of being rescued from bankruptcy protection,...

Regulatory uncertainty could hurt innovation: experts

telecom | 06/16/2014 9:18 pm EDT

TORONTO — Ongoing interventions by Industry Canada, the Competition Bureau and the CRTC into Canada’s wireless industry are likely to harm future investments by telecom companies, Brookings Institute economist Robert...

Spotlight on Quebecor after Telus reportedly ends Mobilicity bid

telecom | 05/21/2014 8:52 pm EDT

Analysts speculated Wednesday about the possibility of Quebecor Inc. stepping up to purchase Mobilicity following a report that Telus Corp. has withdrawn its offer. An article, which appeared on the...

Wind aiming to poach Mobilicity, Public Mobile customers

telecom | 05/05/2014 9:10 pm EDT

Analysts say a new advertising campaign by Wind Mobile that aims to pick up customers from Mobilicity and Public Mobile may be successful as the new-entrant carrier tries to capitalize on the woes of...

Mobilicity debt holders could sue government: Ghose

telecom | 04/25/2014 5:45 pm EDT

A financial market analyst covering the telecommunications sector says the federal government could cause harm to those with a stake in Mobilicity, and possibly even face a lawsuit, if it continues to thwart attempts by Telus...

Telus-Mobilicity deal to test government powers: expert

telecom | 04/22/2014 8:35 pm EDT

The $350-million bid by Telus Corp. for Mobilicity could set up a test of Industry Canada’s regulatory power over the sale of wireless spectrum and competition within the wireless industry, according to one expert. The deal, announced late Thursday night, is the third attempt by Telus to buy the new entrant carrier, which entered bankruptcy protection in September. Two previous attempts have been stymied by Industry Canada, which blocked the deals citing spectrum-transfer rules that prevented Mobilicity from giving up its AWS spectrum to one of the big three incumbent carriers. The...

Mobilicity granted bankruptcy extension

telecom | 03/24/2014 3:08 pm EDT

Mobilicity, the wireless startup in bankruptcy protection, has been granted a fourth extension in its creditor protection while the company works on a potential sale, according to a court document filed on Friday. Last week, the...

Development on Mobilicity sale expected in ‘near term’

telecom | 03/19/2014 4:01 pm EDT

Mobilicity, the startup wireless carrier in bankruptcy protection, will have information to share on its efforts to find a buyer in the “near term,” according to a court document filed...

William Aziz resigns from Canada Bread board

telecom | 03/10/2014 2:31 pm EDT

William Aziz has resigned as a director of the board at Canada Bread Co. Ltd., the company said in a press release Monday. Aziz is president of BlueTree Advisors II Inc. and is currently serving as chief restructuring officer of...

Amdocs disputes Mobilicity’s characterization of agreement

telecom | 02/28/2014 6:40 pm EST

Amdocs Inc. said in an affidavit filed this week in Mobilicity’s bankruptcy-protection proceedings that the wireless provider has made “incorrect” interpretations about the agreement...

Extension of creditor protection approved for Mobilicity

telecom | 02/25/2014 6:41 pm EST

The Ontario Superior Court of Justice on Tuesday said it has approved Mobilicity’s request for an extension of its creditor protection until March 31. This marks the third extension the wireless carrier, which became operational in 2010, has been granted since filing for bankruptcy protection in September. An affidavit filed last week by Mobilicity’s chief restructuring officer, William Aziz, said the company’s quest to find a buyer will make more progress now that the 700 MHz spectrum auction is over....

Mobilicity seeks creditor protection until March 31

telecom | 02/24/2014 8:29 pm EST

Mobilicity is seeking to extend its creditor protection until March 31, according to a report on the website of its court-appointed monitor, Ernst & Young. The report from Ernst & Young, dated Feb. 20, recommends that the...

Mobilicity counters claim from Amdocs

telecom | 02/20/2014 6:37 pm EST

Mobilicity has filed an affidavit in court challenging claims for payment from one of its suppliers. Amdocs Inc. had filed an affidavit that asked for about $1.7 million in payments from the wireless carrier, which is currently...

Telus, Quebecor leading bidders for Mobilicity: report

telecom | 01/29/2014 9:13 pm EST

Telus Corp. and Quebecor Inc. are the leading bidders for Mobilicity, the new-entrant wireless carrier that’s been in bankruptcy protection since September, according to an article in the Globe...

Mobilicity in better cash position than expected

telecom | 12/16/2013 10:02 pm EST

Mobilicity, the new-entrant carrier under bankruptcy protection, expects to end the year with more than 175,000 active subscribers and is spending cash at a slower pace than previously expected, court documents show. In a Dec. 12...

Wind Mobile wants Mobilicity’s spectrum for LTE network: Lacavera

telecom | 12/03/2013 10:12 pm EST

Globalive Wireless Management Corp., operator of Wind Mobile, is looking at buying Mobilicity because it needs more spectrum in order to roll out an LTE network, Wind CEO Anthony Lacavera said....

Court grants Mobilicity sales process

telecom | 11/13/2013 10:15 pm EST

An Ontario Superior Court judge granted Mobilicity's request for permission to enter a formal sales process to sell the company or its assets, court documents show. In an application filed last week as part of the...

Mobilicity still working on Telus deal as government indicates a denial

telecom | 10/30/2013 6:11 pm EDT

Mobilicity’s management will continue to ask the federal government to approve a proposed deal to sell the company to Telus Corp. after the Tory government indicated last week that it would...

Catalyst motion adjourned at Mobilicity bankruptcy hearing

telecom | 10/25/2013 8:27 pm EDT

Catalyst Capital Group Inc. has shelved its effort to force Mobilicity to consider alternative debtor-in-possession financing proposals as the struggling new entrant carrier proceeds with its...

Lyons leaving Mobilicity for another telecom job

telecom | 10/24/2013 8:44 pm EDT

Stewart Lyons is leaving new entrant wireless carrier Mobilicity to take another job in the Canadian “telecom space.” “It’s time for me to move on to other opportunities,” Lyons, who has served as Mobilicity’s president since 2011, said in a brief telephone interview Thursday. “I have another opportunity that I’m moving on to that I’m not announcing just yet.” Lyons joined Mobilicity as its initial executive vice-president in November 2008 and later became its chief operating officer before taking over as president following the...

Struggle for control sharpens between Mobilicity and Catalyst

telecom | 10/23/2013 5:13 pm EDT

Mobilicity’s management says Catalyst Capital Group Inc. is trying to leverage a $60-million lending agreement to take control of the floundering new entrant carrier. Catalyst says it’s...

Del Mastro does not speak for Tories: Moore

telecom | 10/04/2013 8:32 pm EDT

Industry Minister James Moore's office said former Conservative MP Dean Del Mastro does not speak for the government following the MP's statement that Industry Canada has decided to, for the second time, deny...

Wind offers Mobilicity customers $300 credit to switch

telecom | 10/04/2013 8:26 pm EDT

Wind Mobile targeted Mobilicity’s wireless customers the same week that Mobilicity filed for and received bankruptcy protection in advance of a possible sale of the company. “We’ve...

Analysis: Harper wants to say no to Telus, and may have to say yes

telecom | 10/02/2013 9:49 pm EDT

At first blush, Telus Corp.'s second run at trying to acquire new entrant Mobilicity sounds very familiar, even comically so. The Harper government very clearly said no the first time. If you ask...

Mobilicity losing millions per month: documents

telecom | 10/02/2013 8:58 pm EDT

Mobilicity was more than half a billion dollars in debt when it filed for bankruptcy protection this week, and was losing nearly $4 million per month to continue operating, court documents show. “For the seven months ended July 31, 2013, the cost of maintaining the Mobilicity Group’s network, paying distributors and other service partners exceeded revenue by approximately $3.9 million per month prior to financing costs,” William Aziz, a Mobilicity board member who is serving as the company’s chief restructuring officer, said in an affidavit filed Monday with the...

Mobilicity, under bankruptcy protection, being reviewed for possible sale

telecom | 09/30/2013 11:06 pm EDT

Mobilicity has filed for and received bankruptcy protection in advance of a possible sale of the company, Mobilicity said.  In a release Monday evening, Mobilicity (operated by Dave Wireless...

Mobilicity denies report of sub transfer to Wind

telecom | 09/04/2013 8:59 pm EDT

The Financial Post reported that new entrant wireless provider Mobilicity is working on a deal to transfer its subscribers to Wind Mobile, though Mobilicity said the report is not true. “The report that we are transferring...

Wind-Mobilicity merger increasingly likely as debtholder vote postponed

telecom | 07/10/2013 7:08 pm EDT

A merger of Mobilicity and Wind Mobile looks more likely as news reports said Mobilicity delayed a debtholder vote on its recapitalization plan due to acquisition talks with Verizon Communications...

Mobilicity delays recapitalization vote for second time

telecom | 07/03/2013 9:24 pm EDT

New entrant carrier Dave Wireless Inc. postponed by a week a scheduled debtholders’ vote on its proposed recapitalization plan in order to consider “potential alternatives,” the...

Mobilicity delays recapitalization vote

telecom | 06/24/2013 8:18 pm EDT

Dave Wireless Inc.’s debtholders will vote next week on a plan to recapitalize the struggling new entrant wireless carrier, the company said on Friday. Dave Wireless, which operates as Mobilicity, said this month that it...

Telus avoids $10m non-refundable loan to Mobilicity

telecom | 06/11/2013 3:48 pm EDT

Telus Corp. avoided a $10 million, non-refundable loan by backing out of its $380-million deal to acquire Dave Wireless Inc. by a June 10 deadline, said Ted Woodhead, Telus’ senior vice-president of government and regulatory...

Telus officially cancels Mobilicity deal

telecom | 06/11/2013 12:40 am EDT

Dave Wireless Inc. will pursue a recapitalization plan after Telus Corp. withdrew its $380-million deal to acquire the company, the new entrant wireless provider said. In a release Monday, new entrant Dave...

Telus-Mobilicity deal receives court approval

telecom | 05/28/2013 8:39 pm EDT

The Ontario Superior Court approved Telus Corp.’s deal to purchase Dave Wireless Inc., operating as Mobilicity, for $380 million, the companies said. "Following on last week's vote in favour of the proposal by...

Telus must help Mobilicity with $10m if deal fails after June 10

telecom | 05/24/2013 9:09 pm EDT

Telus Corp. would be on the hook for at least a $10 million non-refundable deposit to Mobilicity if its deal to acquire the new entrant carrier does not proceed after a June 10 deadline, the companies’ acquisition plan says. The deposit, the acquisition plan says, would be considered an “interest free loan” to Dave Wireless Inc., which operates Mobilicity’s, and would not be required to be repaid if the deal falls through after that date. Telus could avoid the non-refundable loan by backing out of the deal before June 10. Telus said last week that it had reached a...

Wind targeting Mobilicity customers

telecom | 05/24/2013 5:16 pm EDT

Wind Mobile is appealing to customers of fellow new entrant Mobilicity, operated by Dave Wireless Inc., to “switch to Wind” as Mobilicity waits to hear whether Industry Canada will approve its acquisition by Telus...

Telus informed government in advance of $380m deal for Mobilicity

telecom | 05/16/2013 2:57 pm EDT

Telus Corp. reached a deal to acquire new entrant carrier Mobilicity, including its 250,000 customers, for $380 million, the companies said, indicating they informed Industry Canada about the deal in...

Glassman considers operating fourth wireless carrier

telecom | 05/02/2013 8:39 pm EDT

Newton Glassman, the head of private equity firm Catalyst Capital Group Inc., confirmed he is considering a plan to operate a wireless carrier that would compete with incumbent wireless carriers, The Globe and Mail reported. In...

Mobilicity receives court approval for sale, restructuring

telecom | 04/26/2013 7:00 pm EDT

Dave Wireless Inc. announced a court-approved restructuring process with a sale as an option. The new entrant wireless carrier, operating as Mobilicity, said in a release Friday that it obtained two...

Private equity firm backs away from Mobilicity financing: Report

telecom | 03/15/2013 6:02 pm EDT

Toronto private equity firm Catalyst Capital Group Inc. filed an application with the Ontario Superior Court to throw out a $75-million loan agreement with new entrant wireless carrier Mobilicity, The Globe and Mail reported this week. Mobilicity, owned by DAVE Wireless Inc., announced the agreement Feb. 12, and said it had made an initial draw on it of $15 million. “This additional financing significantly enhances Mobilicity's financial strength and is an important step to the achievement of Mobilicity's strategic goals going forward,” Mobilicity said in a release at the...

No injunction against Mobilicity ads, B.C. court says

telecom | 12/19/2012 9:22 pm EST

New entrant wireless carrier DAVE Wireless Inc. can continue airing ads about “unlimited” data packages and the limited nature of its competitors “unlimited” packages after British Columbia’s top...

Mobilicity says it will countersue Telus over false advertising claims

telecom | 12/11/2012 9:01 pm EST

New entrant wireless carrier DAVE Wireless Inc. will launch a countersuit against Telus Corp., arguing the incumbent telco uses false advertising in its promotions, said Stewart Lyons, the...

Telus-Bell spectrum sharing unfair, leads to larger, superior 700 MHz blocks: Rogers

telecom | 07/03/2012 8:37 pm EDT

Telus Corp. and BCE Inc.'s spectrum sharing agreement will allow the companies to combine their 700 MHz spectrum licensed in next year's auction and build superior 20 MHz blocks supporting...