Canadian Watchdog Yet To Decide on Roger-Shaw Merger

Canada's competition tribunal said on Thursday it had not arrived at a decision regarding the C$20 billion ($14.7 billion) merger between Rogers Communications Inc and Shaw Communications Inc., reports Reuters.

"The Tribunal wishes to advise the public that it intends to provide 24-48 hours notice on its website of the time and date of the issuance of its decision," the competition watchdog said in a notice on its website.

The much-awaited decision on the merger, one of the country's biggest, will put an end to a 20-month-old dispute with the antitrust authority. The agency had blocked the merger on grounds that it would reduce competition.

The companies had proposed selling Shaw's Freedom Mobile Inc to Quebecor Inc (QBRb.TO) to facilitate the merger, but the bureau rejected the plan saying Quebecor was not a viable competitor with the merged entity.