Business in Winnipeg & Manitoba - Page 79

factis · #**1561** Posted **May 2, 2016, 2:17 PM**

So I guess we'll be watching Patrik Laine at the Bell MTS Centre?

esquire · #**1562** Posted **May 2, 2016, 2:23 PM**

^ I'd say there's a pretty good chance!

biguc · #**1563** Posted **May 2, 2016, 2:35 PM**

Everything I'm reading says the 2700 current MTS employees are safe, and will join a workforce totalling 6900 people. This might be bad for phone rates but replacing a provincial head office with a regional one is not bad, and it's nice to see a western head office locate here rather than Calgary.

Anyway, let's start wildly speculating on what the new Bell MTS skyscraper will look like.

bomberjet · #**1564** Posted **May 2, 2016, 2:44 PM**

It also says Bell will be selling 1/3 of current MTS post paid wireless customers to Telus. So does that mean you could be forced to switch over to Telus? I'd also like to know how this will affect Rogers, as they have some form of tower share program with MTS. All 4 major players in the MB market look to be directly affected by this.

I will throw my hat in the ring on the new tower (lol), Winnipeg's third new tallest to go up behind the current MTS tower!

esquire · #**1565** Posted **May 2, 2016, 2:51 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by biguc

Everything I'm reading says the 2700 current MTS employees are safe, and will join a workforce totalling 6900 people. This might be bad for phone rates but replacing a provincial head office with a regional one is not bad, and it's nice to see a western head office locate here rather than Calgary.

Anyway, let's start wildly speculating on what the new Bell MTS skyscraper will look like.

As I understand it, they're saying the 6,900 person workforce includes the 2,700 current MTS employees.

I don't think there's a chance in hell we get a Bell MTS skyscraper out of the deal. MTS already has a skyscraper and adjacent buildings and I really do not see this takeover adding more employees to the point where they have to start expanding their campus with another tower.

optimusREIM · #**1566** Posted **May 2, 2016, 2:56 PM**

This sucks! Not only do we not get a new skyscraper out of the deal but everyone's rates, mts or not, will go up. They provided most of the downwards pressure on prices here. My current plan costs 65 bucks here but over a hundred in Ontario.

The Unknown Poster · #**1567** Posted **May 2, 2016, 3:03 PM**

I'd suspect there will be some deals to be had in the early going. MTS is a strong brand with a lot of loyalty. But losing that "homegrown" stature will probably influence a lot of customers to be less loyal. If Im the other competitors, Im heavily chasing MTS customers who dont have a sense of loyalty to Bell.

It should lead to better technology here. But is Bell going to provide FTTH for all of Winnipeg? With the added ability to market and bundle, SHAW stands to be attacked strongly.

Hopefully no one loses their jobs but why would Bell keep the local call centers when they have their own (unless they have regional call centers, I have no idea)? And if they closed the MTS call center that would be a significant loss of jobs.

Perusing a few Bell union agreements, they seem to pay quite a bit less than MTS... (by the way, MTS' union agreements all expire this year).

esquire · #**1568** Posted **May 2, 2016, 3:04 PM**

^ It's hard to imagine a scenario where MTS would have built a new tower. Their current head office, the former Bank of Montreal Tower, was purchased in the early 2000s when it was nearly vacant as an alternative to building new... for all intents and purposes, that is MTS' "new tower".

Urban recluse · #**1569** Posted **May 2, 2016, 3:14 PM**

There is plenty of vacant office space currently on the market. If anything, they may simply meet any potential needs by leasing nearby space. Ain't nobody got time fo speculation when it's not warranted.

esquire · #**1570** Posted **May 2, 2016, 3:17 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Urban recluse

There is plenty of vacant office space currently on the market. If anything, they may simply meet any potential needs by leasing nearby space. Ain't nobody got time fo speculation when it's not warranted.

Exactly. There's loads of reasonably priced space across the street at 201 Portage for any spillover employees that can't fit at MTS Place, although I'd wager that they will soon have the opposite problem and have empty space for lease.

Urban recluse · #**1571** Posted **May 2, 2016, 3:25 PM**

Most likely. Maybe not at first, but...

O'Doyle Rules · #**1572** Posted **May 2, 2016, 3:45 PM**

I wonder if this could potentially be bigger than we realize. The papers are reporting that it's BCE that's moving its Western headquarters to Winnipeg, not Bell Mobility. BCE is the parent company of a number of other companies aside from Bell Mobility including Bell Media, which owns CTV, TSN, Crave TV, etc. I think there could be some movement of employees to Winnipeg in those spaces as well. At least TSN will stop being the "Toronto Sports Network"

Urban recluse · #**1573** Posted **May 2, 2016, 3:50 PM**

Anything is possible. Again though, there is a lot of space to be had. Perhaps they will lease space at TNS.

esquire · #**1574** Posted **May 2, 2016, 3:57 PM**

TSN isn't moving here. I doubt the gains will offset the losses.

O'Doyle Rules · #**1575** Posted **May 2, 2016, 4:16 PM**

It's just odd that they would say BCE is moving and not Bell Mobility. It's a specific announcement. I was joking about TSN, but I do believe something more than just the telecoms is coming. Of course, only time will tell.

1ajs · #**1576** Posted **May 2, 2016, 4:19 PM**

So does that mean MTS center willcnow be bell center?

O'Doyle Rules · #**1577** Posted **May 2, 2016, 4:21 PM**

CJOB reported it will keep its name as MTS

Wolf13 · #**1578** Posted **May 2, 2016, 4:48 PM**

Well, I hope they come to Portage and Main. Amidst the optimism surrounding TNS also comes the sobering reality that a chunk of their tenants may come from competitors nearby, ie not adding any density to Winnipeg's downtown office market, taking tenants from Artis, Harvard, Richardson, etc...

These aree a LOT of new bodies for downtown... and greatly improves the case for Winnipeg's new urban optimism.

bomberjet · #**1579** Posted **May 2, 2016, 6:15 PM**

Also remember who owns Bell, and has ties to Winnipeg for a long time. Our favourite Lord, Dave Thomson. Hopefully they setup a long term operation here, which sets a precedent for other major companies to follow.

esquire · #**1580** Posted **May 2, 2016, 6:27 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Also remember who owns Bell, and has ties to Winnipeg for a long time. Our favourite Lord, Dave Thomson. Hopefully they setup a long term operation here, which sets a precedent for other major companies to follow.

Hey, good point... our benevolent protector Lord Thomson of Fleet (or as I like to call him when we're tipping back gin on Friday afternoons, Dee to the Tee) might be just the person to broker a deal to relocate a bunch of Bell minions to True North Square, thereby doubling the already impressive tower 1 in height

Ah well, one can dream!