Globalive Holdings announced this week it will go to market with its wireless services using the European brand name Wind.
The Toronto-based company spent more than $442 million for a share of Canada’s wireless spectrum in a government-run auction last year and plans to launch this fall.
“Wind is an established and growing brand with a successful history of over 10 years in two large European markets, and Canadians will benefit from the economies of scale of this relationship,” said Anthony Lacavera, chairman of Globalive Holdings in a release. “By choosing the same brand name, we are able to not only leverage Wind’s challenger status, but also its operational intelligence and experience.”
Wind Telecomunicazioni SpA, controlled by the Sawiris family which is also backing Globalive, has 16.9 million mobile subscribers in Italy and 5.2 million mobile customers in Greece.
Globalive is one of three new entrants into the Canadian wireless market. Public Mobile and Data & Audio Visual Enterprises Wireless Inc., (DAVE Wireless) are both expected to launch over the next year.
Globalive is building its wireless network in five Canadian cities, offering services in key markets late this year and will continue to launch services across Canada in 2010.
WindMobile.ca, is now live and serves as an introduction to the brand and another forum for discussion.
The site houses the “Wind Mobile Blog” as well as the “Community,” a forum where consumers can share their ideas for a better wireless company.
