Telus Corporation traces its origins to two provincial telephone companies: BC Tel (British Columbia Telephone Company), which served British Columbia, and AGT (Alberta Government Telephones), which was privatized and renamed Telus in 1990.
BC Tel and Telus merged in 1999 to create the current Telus Corporation, combining the telephone companies serving British Columbia and Alberta into a single entity. The merger created a major Western Canadian telecommunications company.
Telus expanded nationally in 2000 when it acquired Clearnet Communications, a national wireless carrier, for approximately $6.6 billion. This acquisition gave Telus a national wireless network and established it as a major competitor to Rogers and Bell in the national wireless market.
Darren Entwistle became CEO in 2000 and has led Telus through its transformation from a regional telephone company into a national telecommunications and technology company. Under Entwistle, Telus has invested heavily in fiber optic networks, 5G wireless technology, and diversification into health technology and digital IT services.
Telus launched Telus Health in the 2010s, building a significant health technology business through acquisitions of electronic medical record companies, pharmacy management systems, and other health IT businesses. Telus Health has grown into one of Canada's largest health technology companies.
Telus launched Telus Digital (formerly Telus International) as a digital IT services and customer experience management company. Telus Digital went public on NYSE and TSX in 2021, though Telus Corporation retained a majority stake.
For fiscal year 2024, Telus reported revenue of approximately CAD 20 billion.