When Jean Monty assumed the job of CEO in 1998, he pursued a convergence strategy, attempting to combine both content creation and distribution within BCE, and to take greater advantage of the emerging Internet market.

BCE's acquisition in 2000 (and subsequent financing) of overseas carrier Teleglobe cost billions of dollars.

BCE sold Teleglobe two years later; Jean Monty resigned and was succeeded by Michael Sabia as CEO.

[13] BCE also spun off operating units that it did not consider to be core to its business, including Emergis in 2004, and Bell Globemedia and Telesat Canada in 2006.

On February 1, 2006, stating the need to remain competitive, Bell Canada announced job cuts of 3,000 to 4,000 employees by the end of 2006.

In February 2021, and in line with the growing importance of 5G wireless networks, BCE announced the launch of the largest investment program in its history to double the proportion of Canadians covered.

[22] On June 30, 2007, BCE accepted a bid of $42.75 per share in cash, for a total valuation of $51.7 billion, from the group led by the OTPP, and including Providence Equity Partners, Madison Dearborn Partners, Merrill Lynch Global Private Equity, and Toronto-Dominion Bank.

[32][33] With Shaw Communications purchasing the Global Television Network, Vidéotron launching its wireless telephone network with video content as a key selling point,[34] and the enormous popularity of wireless and Internet video and other media streams at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics,[35] Bell once again sought to bring a content provider into its portfolio.

In September 2010, Bell announced a deal to reacquire full control of the broadcasting properties owned by CTVglobemedia including the CTV Television Network.

Bell also obtained a 15% interest in The Globe and Mail, CTVglobemedia's other major asset, with the remaining 85% owned by the Thomson family.

[36] Through this acquisition, Bell responded to an increasing trend away from traditional cable and satellite delivery channels and towards new distribution methods over the Internet and wireless networks.

[38] In 2016, BCE announced that it had entered an agreement to acquire Manitoba Telecom Services (MTS) in a transaction worth $3.9 billion.

[40][41] The company also announced it would be closing or selling nine AM radio stations, some of which had changed to automated formats during previous rounds of cuts.

[40][42] BCE blamed a number of industry changes and increasing losses in its news divisions for the cuts, while questioning the regulatory priorities of the federal government and the CRTC; one BCE executive mentioned having waited for reforms on some items for years, while also citing "relentless regulatory intervention" by the CRTC to cut wireless and Internet service pricing.

[43] On February 8, 2024, BCE announced that it would cut 4,800 positions, citing declining revenues, and new CRTC requirements mandating that the company offer wholesale access to its fibreoptic networks to competitors.

[44][45][46] In June 2024, BCE announced that it had agreed to sell Northwestel to a consortium of First Nations groups in Northern Canada for around $1 billion.

In 2010, BCE bought out the other owners, acquiring CTV's specialty television, digital media, conventional TV and radio broadcasting platforms.

In 2009, BCE partnered with the Molson family in acquiring the Montreal Canadiens Hockey Club and the Bell Centre.

When interest rates soared, however, Daon was caught overextended, could not meet its debt payments, and was forced into a major restructuring with its bankers.

In March 1986, it agreed to acquire US$1 billion of commercial real estate from the American subsidiary of the Oxford Development Group Ltd., more than doubling BCED's portfolio.

As a consequence of the stock transaction used to purchase Bay Networks, BCE's holding was diluted to a minority stake.

Nortel's share price collapsed with the dot-com crash of 2000 and combined with a mishandling of a subsequent accounting investigation, the company never fully recovered.

[78] In April 2002, BCE announced it was cutting off long-term funding of Teleglobe, would give up on the company, and take a charge of up to $8.5 billion.

[81] In December 2006, BCE announced the sale of Telesat to Loral Space & Communications and the Public Sector Pension Investment Board for CAD$3.28 billion.