Canada’s fourth-largest wireless phone company to be renamed Freedom Mobile

TORONTO – Wind Mobile, Canada’s fourth-largest mobile phone company, is changing its name to Freedom Mobile and moving to upgrade its network.

The company, which was acquired by Shaw Communications earlier this year, said Monday existing customers, accounts and rate plans will be seamlessly transitioned to the new brand.

Chief executive Alek Krstajic said the company has a strong foundation of more than a million customers.

“And as Freedom Mobile, we are reaffirming our commitment to them and to the core principles of our business — value, transparency and fairness,” Krstajic said in a statement.

The company said it’s rolling out LTE service throughout its coverage area, starting with Toronto and Vancouver on Nov. 27.

The new high-speed network will include all of Greater Toronto and Greater Vancouver by spring 2017, followed by Ottawa, Calgary and Edmonton by the summer.

Wind said the remaining parts of its network, which already has 3G coverage, will be upgraded by the fall of next year.

Wind has been competing against Canada’s three biggest mobile phone companies since late 2009 but remains smaller than Rogers (TSX:RCI.B), Telus (TSX:T) and Bell (TSX:BCE).

Calgary-based Shaw (TSX:SJR.B) bought Wind for about $1.6 billion in a deal that closed in March.