BC Telephone Company on 1 January 1961. In 1979 the BC Telephone Company acquired Automatic Electric Canada and formed "AEL Microtel". Soon afterwards the name was shortened to "Microtel". In 1982 "BTE - Business Terminal Equipment" was formed to compete in the newly deregulated premises equipment field. BC Telephone formed "BC Cellular" in 1985 to compete in the new cellular telephone business. On 1 May 1993 BC Telephone reorganised under holding company "BC Telecom Inc" and changed its legal operating name to "BC Tel". Merger with TELUS The deregulation of the phone industry in the 1990s combined with the competition of copper lines with cell phones, totally changed the business environment. In a 1999 "merger of equals", BC Tel merged with Telus, the telephone operating company in Alberta. The merger created the second largest telephone company in Canada after Bell. Initially registered as BCT.Telus, the hunt for a new name began. Soon after it was announced that the merged company would keep the Telus name, but move into BC Tel's former headquarters in Burnaby, British Columbia. References External links Companies based in Burnaby Defunct companies of British Columbia Telus Defunct telecommunications companies of Canada Telecommunications companies established in 1904 Telecommunications companies disestablished in 1999 Canadian companies disestablished in 1999 Canadian companies established in 1904