Telecom news roundup: Competition Bureau ends fight to block Rogers-Shaw merger [Jan 21-27]

Sweet Rogers Merger: What a (Near) Stress-Free Week for Telecoms!

Stop the presses! The Competition Bureau ends its fight to block Rogers-Shaw merging, arguably the merger of 2020.

Crinsights will merrily skip into Jan 21-27 with the biggest telecom news of the week. There’s a lot to unpack, so let’s get to the good stuff right away.

What’s the News?

The Competition Bureau has decided to let the Rogers-Shaw merger go through without a fight. To be fair, the quasi-nd legal body didn’t dismiss the merits of the merger outright; it just decided it wasn’t a good fit to go to court over this.

The move frees up $26 billion, a big chunk of which will now be available to Rogers and Shaw shareholders in the form of a buyout.

What Does It Mean for Telecoms?

The Rogers-Shaw merger will create one of the biggest telecoms in Canada. With the consolidation of these two behemoths, it would:

Bring competition from rivals to an all-time low, with no room for new offers or pricing.

Significantly reduce internet access for remote and rural areas – the merged companies will provide basic connectivity, but that’s it.
Bring prices up – according to a recent survey, Canadians were worried about the merger significantly increasing their monthly bill.

What’s the Future?

Only time will tell how the merger will affect the telecom industry in Canada. Analysts have already pointed to a likely surge in prices and stifling of competition due to the massive scale of the new entity.

Still, it’s not all doom and gloom. With the merger now confirmed, Rogers and Shaw can now focus on utilizing the additional resources to upgrade their network and services – and we’ll all get faster internet as a result!

Conclusion: Competition Woes?

The Rogers-Shaw merger is a done deal, and it won’t just affect the two companies involved. Major telecoms across the country are now scrambling to play catch up.

Though it’s too soon to say how this new mega-telco will shape up, the future looks exciting – and a little bit scary. What’s certain is that Canadians’ telecom needs will be in for a massive shake-up.