BC Tel
| Company type | Public |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Predecessor | Vernon & Nelson Telephone Company |
| Founded | 1904 |
| Fate | Merged with Telus in 1999 |
| Successor | Telus |
| Headquarters | Burnaby, British Columbia , Canada |
Area served | British Columbia, Canada |
Key people | G H Halse (president and general manager in 1926) |
| Products | Telephone services, cellular telephony (via BC Cellular), business terminal equipment (BTE) |
| Parent | BC Telecom Inc (from 1993) |
British Columbia Telephone Company, which later became known as BC Tel, served as the chief telephone service provider throughout British Columbia, Canada. For a significant portion of its existence, BC Tel functioned as a regional monopoly. In 1985, the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) reintroduced competition specifically in the long-distance telephone market. By 1998, BC Tel merged with Telus, resulting in the creation of Canada's second-largest telecommunications enterprise.
Early decades
In 1904, The Vernon & Nelson Telephone Company acquired both the Victoria & Esquimalt Telephone Company and the New Westminster & Burrard Inlet Telephone Company, subsequently renaming itself British Columbia Telephone Company Limited. The company obtained a federal charter in 1916 and removed "Limited" from its official name.
In December 1926, Theodore Gary & Company gained a controlling interest in BC Telephone via the Anglo-Canadian Telephone Company. Their portfolio also included International Automatic Telephone Company and British Insulated Cables. G H Halse continued to serve as president and general manager. In July 1927, BC Telephone played a key role in enabling Canada's inaugural coast-to-coast radio broadcast during the Diamond Jubilee celebrations.
Two regional operations
On 1 April 1929, BC Telephone launched the "North-West Telephone Company" (NWT) to offer radio-telephony services in regions inaccessible by traditional wire lines, beginning with a link between Campbell River and Powell River, spanning approximately of water.
In January 1935, severe weather caused widespread destruction: about 1,500 poles and 700 miles of wiring were damaged in the Fraser Valley, disrupting service to 1,800 telephones in Victoria. The Trans-Canada toll line was not restored until 10 February. In May 1939, BC Telephone transmitted Vancouver's first wire photo during a royal visit.
In April 1954, BC Telephone acquired the federal government’s telephone system west of the Rocky Mountains, sharing operations with NWT. Following Theodore Gary's merger with GTE in 1955, GTE held a 50.2% ownership stake in BC Telephone.
NWT was reintegrated into BC Telephone in January 1961. In 1979, BC Telephone purchased Automatic Electric Canada and established "AEL Microtel," later rebranded simply as "Microtel." The company introduced "BTE - Business Terminal Equipment" in 1982 to compete within deregulated equipment sectors. To enter cellular telephony markets, BC Cellular was founded in 1985. On 1 May 1993, BC Telephone restructured under the holding company "BC Telecom Inc" and officially changed its name to "BC Tel."
Telus merger
The telecommunications landscape shifted during the 1990s due to deregulation and rivalry between landline and cellular technologies. In a 1999 merger characterized as one of equals, BC Tel acquired the smaller Telus from Alberta, creating Canada's second-largest telephone company after Bell. Initially operating under the name BCT.Telus with headquarters in Burnaby, British Columbia, the entity soon adopted the brand Telus.