There have been high-level changes at some of the wireless communications firms vying for one of six possible Personal Communications Services licences at the 2 GHz spectrum to be granted this year by Industry Canada.
Most recently, Toronto-based Telezone has replaced Hal Turner, president and chief executive officer, with G. Raymond Doucet.
Doucet is also president and ceo of Douserv Management, a Montreal-based holding company that is one of the founders of three-year-old Telezone.
John Sacke, manager of public relations for Telezone, says Turner has left ‘to pursue other interests.’
In early June, Industry Canada released its policy and a call for applications for the licences.
Interested companies have until Sept. 15 to apply.
Companies expected to submit applications include BCE Mobility, Cantel, Clearnet, Lancer Technologies, MicroCell and Telezone.
One of those contenders, Cantel’s PCS, Paging and Data division, saw its general manager, David Annan, defect to competitor Lancer Technologies, of Montreal, last month.
Lo Van Gemert, executive vice-president of the Cantel division, has taken over Annan’s duties.
In yet another senior executive departure, Martin O’Neill quietly left MicroCell 1-2-1 of Montreal (formerly Canada Popfone) in May.
O’Neill had been president and ceo of the firm since March 1994.
MicroCell would not comment on the reason for his departure.
O’Neill has been replaced by Andre Tremblay, who is also president of Telesystem Enterprises and executive vice-president of National Telesystem, the parent company of MicroCell.
