Glentel

Glentel is a Canadian telecommunications retailer headquartered in Burnaby, British Columbia. Its business is centered on distributing wireless services and devices through a network of retail stores, mall kiosks, and store-within-a-store locations rather than operating a nationwide mobile network of its own. The company sells mobile phones, tablets, accessories, wireless plans, and related connectivity products, and has historically represented more than one carrier in the same retail environment. The company traces its origins to Speedy Celtel, a retailer established by Alan and Tom Skidmore to sell services for Cantel, one of Canada's earliest cellular carriers. In 1989, the business acquired Glenayre, a provider of business wireless hardware, and adopted the name Glenayre Technologies. Its retail operations were subsequently separated as Glentel in 1992. The retail division later developed the WirelessWave chain, beginning with a Rogers dealership opened at Burnaby's Metropolis in 1997. Glentel expanded through acquisitions and distribution agreements. In 2005, it acquired Montreal-based Cabtel Corp., adding the Quebec La Cabine Telephonique and the English-language The Telephone Booth operations in Alberta and Ontario. The acquired banners were later associated with Tbooth Wireless, known as La cabine T sans-fil in Quebec. In 2007, Glentel entered into a multi-year agreement with Costco Canada to operate wireless kiosks under the Wireless, etc. banner. These outlets gave the company access to high-traffic warehouse retail locations while preserving a third-party, multi-carrier sales model. During the early 2010s, Glentel pursued international expansion. It acquired Diamond Wireless in the United States in 2010, entered Australia through an 83% interest in AMT Group in 2012, and acquired Automotive Technologies Inc., operating as Wireless Zone, later that year. These businesses operated retail locations associated principally with Verizon Wireless in the United States and with Allphones and Virgin Mobile in Australia. Glentel also operated Target Mobile kiosks in Target Canada's stores for a period before Target withdrew from the Canadian market in 2015. The company's ownership changed materially after BCE Inc. announced an agreement to acquire Glentel on November 28, 2014, for C$670 million, subject to approvals. Rogers Communications challenged the transaction, arguing that Glentel's supply arrangements required Rogers' consent to a change in ownership and raising concerns about the treatment of Rogers products in a Bell-owned retail network. Bell and Rogers subsequently agreed that Rogers would receive a 50% interest in Glentel when the acquisition closed. The transaction was completed on May 6, 2015, making Glentel a joint venture of BCE and Rogers. After the Canadian transaction, Glentel's international portfolio was reduced. Wireless Zone was sold to Round Room LLC in 2016, while Diamond Wireless was sold to A Wireless. Allphones entered receivership in February 2017 after its ownership had changed in 2016. In Canada, Glentel continues to be associated with the Tbooth Wireless and WirelessWave retail banners, as well as Wireless, etc. locations at Costco. Its stores sell services connected with Bell Mobility, Rogers Wireless, related brands including Chatr Wireless, Fido, Lucky Mobile, and Virgin Plus, and SaskTel in Saskatchewan. The company's principal role is therefore that of a multi-banner wireless retailer and distribution platform serving major Canadian carriers.

Glentel developed from a Canadian cellular-services retail operation associated with the country's early mobile-phone market. Alan and Tom Skidmore founded the original business as Speedy Celtel, selling services for Cantel, an early Canadian cellular carrier. The company expanded beyond retail in 1989 by acquiring Glenayre, a supplier of business wireless hardware, and was renamed Glenayre Technologies. In 1992, the retail arm was separated and began operating as Glentel. The company subsequently built a portfolio of wireless retail banners and carrier relationships. In 1997, it opened a Rogers dealership at Metropolis in Burnaby under the WirelessWave name. WirelessWave later grew into one of Glentel's principal Canadian retail brands. In 2005, Glentel acquired Cabtel Corp., a Montreal-based competitor operating La Cabine Telephonique in Quebec and The Telephone Booth in Alberta and Ontario. The transaction added 49 stores and strengthened Glentel's presence in regional mall and high-street retail. In 2007, Glentel agreed with Costco Canada to operate wireless kiosks in Costco locations. The kiosks used the Wireless, etc. banner and provided another distribution channel alongside conventional stores and shopping-mall outlets. In Quebec, the company's telephone-booth business became associated with La Cabine T sans-fil, while the English-language operation became Tbooth Wireless. Glentel's retail model generally emphasized the sale and activation of services from multiple network operators and their consumer-facing brands. Glentel expanded outside Canada during the early 2010s. In 2010, it acquired Diamond Wireless, a U.S. chain of Verizon Wireless retailers. In 2012, it acquired an 83% interest in AMT Group, an Australian mobile-retail operator associated with Allphones and Virgin Mobile brands. It also acquired Automotive Technologies Inc., doing business as Wireless Zone, which operated 421 Verizon Wireless retail locations in the United States. Around the same period, Glentel entered an arrangement to operate Target Mobile kiosks in Target Canada's stores. That operation was short-lived because Target withdrew from Canada and closed its Canadian locations in 2015. The most important ownership event occurred in 2014. On November 28 of that year, BCE announced a proposed C$670 million acquisition of Glentel. Bell's stated rationale was to expand its retail footprint; Bell already operated its own stores and owned The Source electronics chain. Rogers objected to the proposed transaction and, on December 17, 2014, applied to the Ontario Superior Court for an injunction. Rogers argued that supply agreements with Glentel required its consent to a change in ownership. It also expressed concern that a Bell-owned Glentel could favor Bell products and services in stores that had historically represented competing carriers. The dispute was resolved through an ownership restructuring. On December 24, 2014, Bell announced that Rogers would receive a 50% interest in Glentel once Bell's acquisition closed. The acquisition was completed on May 6, 2015, leaving Glentel jointly owned by BCE and Rogers. The arrangement allowed the retailer to remain a distribution channel for products and services associated with both carrier groups, although the ownership structure also linked the retailer directly to two of Canada's largest telecommunications companies. Glentel later reduced its international holdings. Wireless Zone was sold to Round Room LLC in 2016, and Diamond Wireless was sold to A Wireless. Its Australian Allphones business entered receivership in February 2017 after being sold to a Canadian shareholder in May 2016. The Canadian operations remain the core of the Glentel business. The company operates more than 350 wireless outlets under the WirelessWave and Tbooth Wireless banners, including the French-language La cabine T sans-fil identity in Quebec, and operates Costco-based Wireless, etc. kiosks. Its stores sell products and services from Bell Mobility, Rogers Wireless, related brands such as Chatr Wireless, Fido, Lucky Mobile, and Virgin Plus, and SaskTel in Saskatchewan.

• 2017

  Allphones enters receivership

  [1]Glentelen.wikipedia.org

  The Australian Allphones business entered receivership after a 2016 ownership change.

• 2016

  U.S. businesses divested

  [1]Glentelen.wikipedia.org

  Wireless Zone was sold to Round Room LLC and Diamond Wireless was sold to A Wireless.

• 2015

  Glentel becomes a Bell–Rogers joint venture

  [1]Glentelen.wikipedia.org

  Bell completed the acquisition on May 6 after agreeing to transfer a 50% interest to Rogers.

• 2014

  Bell announces proposed acquisition

  [1]Glentelen.wikipedia.org

  BCE announced a proposed C$670 million acquisition of Glentel, prompting a contractual dispute with Rogers.

• 2012

  Australian and U.S. expansion

  [1]Glentelen.wikipedia.org

  Glentel acquired an 83% stake in Australia's AMT Group and acquired U.S. retailer Automotive Technologies Inc., operating as Wireless Zone.

• 2010

  U.S. expansion through Diamond Wireless

  [1]Glentelen.wikipedia.org

  Glentel entered the United States by acquiring Diamond Wireless, a Verizon Wireless retail chain.

• 2007

  Costco wireless kiosk agreement

  [1]Glentelen.wikipedia.org

  Glentel reached a multi-year agreement to operate Wireless, etc. kiosks in Costco Canada locations.

• 2005

  Cabtel acquired

  [1]Glentelen.wikipedia.org

  Glentel acquired Montreal-based Cabtel Corp., adding 49 stores operating under The Telephone Booth and La Cabine Telephonique identities.

• 1997

  WirelessWave launches

  [1]Glentelen.wikipedia.org

  Glentel opened a Rogers dealership at Burnaby's Metropolis under the WirelessWave name.

• 1992

  Retail arm becomes Glentel

  [1]Glentelen.wikipedia.org

  The company's retail operations were separated and began operating as Glentel.

• 1989

  Glenayre acquisition and renaming

  [1]Glentelen.wikipedia.org

  The original Speedy Celtel business acquired Glenayre, a business wireless-hardware provider, and became Glenayre Technologies.

Mass-market, multi-carrier telecommunications retail focused on convenient mall, kiosk, and warehouse locations.

• Wireless retail banner · 1997

  WirelessWave

  WirelessWave is one of Glentel's principal Canadian retail banners. It originated with a Rogers dealership opened at Burnaby's Metropolis in 1997 and developed into a broader network of wireless stores and mall-based outlets. The banner sells mobile devices, accessories, and service plans associated with participating Canadian carriers.

• Wireless retail banner

  Tbooth Wireless

  Tbooth Wireless is a Canadian wireless retail banner descended from Glentel's acquisition of Cabtel Corp. Its Quebec identity is La cabine T sans-fil, while the English-language banner replaced the former The Telephone Booth name. Stores focus on mobile phones, wireless plans, activations, upgrades, and accessories.

• Warehouse-store wireless kiosk · 2007

  Wireless, etc.

  Wireless, etc. is Glentel's Costco Canada store-within-a-store format. The kiosks provide mobile-device sales and carrier-plan activations inside Costco locations, extending Glentel's reach beyond conventional malls and standalone retail stores.

• Former U.S. wireless retail business · 2010

  Diamond Wireless

  Diamond Wireless was a U.S. chain of Verizon Wireless retailers acquired by Glentel in 2010. It formed part of Glentel's international expansion but was later sold to A Wireless in 2016.

• Former U.S. wireless retail business · 2012

  Wireless Zone

  Wireless Zone was the trading name of Automotive Technologies Inc., a U.S. operator of Verizon Wireless retail locations acquired by Glentel in 2012. The business reportedly operated 421 stores at the time of acquisition and was sold to Round Room LLC in 2016.

• Former Australian wireless retail business · 2012

  Allphones

  Allphones was an Australian mobile-retail business associated with Glentel's acquisition of an 83% interest in AMT Group in 2012. The business was later sold to a Canadian shareholder and entered receivership in February 2017.

• 2016

  Divest international retail businessesStrategy

  Background

  Following the Bell–Rogers ownership change, Glentel reduced its international retail portfolio.

  Action taken

  Glentel sold Wireless Zone to Round Room LLC and Diamond Wireless to A Wireless.

  Aftermath

  The Canadian retail operation remained the central part of the business, while the two U.S. businesses left the Glentel portfolio.

  Source

• 2014

  Agree to Bell's acquisition and subsequent Rogers co-ownershipM&A

  Background

  BCE proposed acquiring Glentel to strengthen its retail distribution network. Rogers disputed the transaction, asserting that Glentel's supply agreements required Rogers' consent to a change in ownership.

  Action taken

  Bell agreed to transfer a 50% interest in Glentel to Rogers upon completion of the acquisition.

  Aftermath

  The transaction closed on May 6, 2015, and Glentel became jointly owned by BCE and Rogers.

  Acquisition consideration. C$670 million announced acquisition value (2014 announcement)

  • Rogers Communications — Rogers sought an injunction and argued that its contractual consent rights were implicated by the proposed ownership change.

  Source

1. 1Glentelen.wikipedia.org