Globalive, WIND Mobile’s parent company, will not be headed to court after Canada’s Supreme Court dismissed Public Mobile’s suit over its ownership status. Needless to say, WIND Mobile’s CEO, Tony Lacavera, was pleased with the news:
We’re extremely pleased with the Supreme Court’s decision, which will allow us to tie off this loose end and continue working with the best interests of Canadians firmly in mind. We are interested in fighting in the marketplace to provide Canadians with fair, transparent and competitive wireless offerings, not in fighting in courtrooms.
Public Mobile alleged that Globalive had received the majority of its funding from Egypt’s Orascom Telecom (now owned by Vimpelcom), a foreign company, making it ineligible to operate in Canada as it exceeded foreign ownership limits. It launched its Supreme Court appeal after the Canadian Federal Court of Appeal ruled that Globalive did meet Canadian foreign ownership rules.
The case lost much of its relevance after the Canadian government introduced new foreign ownership rules in March. The new rules will support the type of investment that WIND Mobile received.
Read more: The Globe and Mail and WIND Mobile