Tag: WillowTree

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Mobile Syrup

Telecom news roundup: Rogers and Shaw to head to Federal Court of Appeal [Dec.31-Jan 6]

Welcome to 2023’s first weekly telecom roundup!

Business

New year, more Rogers and Shaw merger developments. The latest stems from the Competition Tribunal’s decision to reject the Competition Bureau’s arguments to block the merger. Now headed to the Court of Appeal, the merger can’t close until the court makes a decision.

That likely won’t be too far from now, as the court set a January 24th hearing date. Rogers and Shaw have set January 31st as their deadline to close the deal, which they may be forced to extend.

More in acquisitions, Telus International (TI) has completed its takeover of WillowTree, a U.S.-based digital product production company. WillowTree will serve TI’s 600 clients, including its telecom company Telus Corporation. WillowTree will help “Telus’ digital transformation ambitions,” Jeffrey Puritt, TI’s president and CEO, told MobileSyrup.

Bell and Snap have partnered to give Toronto Raptors fans a special AR experience. Those attending Welcome Toronto games at Scotiabank Arena will be able to access a Raptors AR Lens, letting them shoot hoops like the pros.

Deals

Koodo is texting subscribers with a $3/25GB extra data offer.  Other offers include $1/5GB or $2/10GB. More details are available here.

Best Buy is offering the Google Pixel 6 Pro for $8/month if you sign up with certain carriers. Plus, those activating with Koodo could score $500 in Best Buy gift cards. Learn more here.

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Mobile Syrup

Telus International’s acquisition of WillowTree will mean digital changes for telecom customers

Telus International (TI) has added WillowTree to its roster of companies.

WillowTree, a U.S.-based organization that helps companies with their digital strategy, including building and designing apps, websites, and voice experiences, has been renamed to WillowTree, a Telus International Company.

Now under the TI banner, it will change the way TI serves its 600 clients. The tech company provides IT and business services while serving as the global arm of the Telus Corporation, one of the Big Three telecom companies in Canada.

Tobias Dengel, president of WillowTree, told MobileSyrup that the capabilities of the two companies are “extraordinarily complementary to each other.” With WillowTree primarily focusing on the design aspects and TI on supporting technology, the future will allow the companies to tie various experiences together, creating an “omnichannel customer and user experience,” Dengel said.

From the perspective of TI, the $1.2 billion US (about $1.6 billion CAD) acquisition will also serve its existing client base.

“The combination of WillowTree with TI, for me, is like peanut butter and jelly,” Jeffrey Puritt, TI’s president and CEO, told MobileSyrup. “We’re both in the technology services sector. But we have the competency set that’s quite complimentary, quite synergistic.”

Design and build capabilities are aspects TI lacked, Puritt said. It cost TI “four monster opportunities” alone.

Telus Corporation is TI’s biggest client, and the corporation will utilize WillowTree’s services.

“We’ve already identified a multitude of areas of opportunity for WillowTree’s capabilities to be leveraged in order to help progress Telus’ digital transformation ambitions,” Puritt said.

He didn’t share specifics but did say there is some work WillowTree did for providers in the U.S. that could be leveraged for Telus’ mobile platform in Canada.

One of WillowTree’s many American clients is telecom company Verizon. A 2018 press release from Petsky Prunier Invest Bankers outlining WillowTree’s work stated the company launched mobile, over-the-top (OTT) and IoT services, along with websites and chatbots for several companies, including Verizon.

Image credit: Shutterstock 

Categories
Mobile Syrup

Telus, its international faction, acquire U.S. mobile app company WillowTree

Telus Corporation and Telus International are acquiring WillowTree for $1.2 billion US (about $1.6 billion CAD).

The U.S.-based company focuses on user-end experiences, including mobile apps and web interfaces.

“The acquisition of WillowTree brings key tech talent and diversity to Telus International’s portfolio of next-generation solutions, and further augments its digital consulting and innovative client-centric software development capabilities,” Darren Entwistle, president and CEO of Telus, said.

Insignia Capital Group, a majority stakeholder for WillowTree, will sell its shares as part of the transaction, which will close in January 2023.

WillowTree has offices in 13 countries, including Canada, Portugal, Spain, and Romania.

The acquisition is subjected to regulatory approval.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Source: Telus