TELUS SELLS DIRECTORY BUSINESS TO VERIZON
By Adnews Staff
Verizon Information Services of Dallas, TX is buying Burnaby, BC-based Telus' directory information services business for $810 million. Once the sale is completed this summer Verizon will combine Telus' directory operations and parts of Calgary-based Telus Advertising Services with its B.C.-based Dominion Information Services and its Quebec-based Les Annuaires du Quebec directory publishing divisions. The combination of operations will create a print, wireless and online national directory provider which can offer customers bundled print and Internet-based advertising services. The new company will be based in Burnaby, BC. The sale includes all of Telus' Canadian directory information services assets as well as a 30-year publishing agreement and rights to the information services space on Telus' Internet portal network, which consists of the MyBC.com, Alberta.com and MyTO.com sites. Public relations for Dominion Information Services are handled by BenchMark Porter Novelli of Vancouver.