NEW YORK ( TheStreet) -- Over the past year, I've been bullish two huge Canadian media and telecommunications stocks -- Rogers Communications ( RCI) and BCE, Inc. ( BCE). Even with Wednesday's considerable losses, both, particularly RCI, have been strong performers before downtrending this spring.
Both names are off on reports Verizon ( VZ) wants to acquire one of Canada's smaller wireless players to take on Rogers and BCE. Canadian regulators opened the door to foreign ownership several months back; and Verizon appears to set to take advantage of the ruling. Does it matter? I don't think it does. I was never bullish Rogers or Bell as wireless pure plays. I like them because of their ecosystems. Ecosystems that American telecoms such as Verizon could never dream of getting past U.S. bureaucrats. But, looking specifically at mobile, if you want a new smartphone such as Apple's ( AAPL) iPhone 5 or BlackBerry's ( BBRY) Z10 -- at the subsidized price -- you're signing a three-year contract. That said, there's tons of room to add brand new smartphone subscribers in Canada, but even these late adopters are likely somehow tied up in the Rogers/Bell web. They're locked into bundle deals that include landline service, cable or satellite and/or Internet. And, who's to say, even if it doesn't go by its real name, that Canadians will leave one of their homegrown conglomerates for an American one? Beyond that, for long-term investors, you're buying RCI and BCE because of the total package. And I don't mean the bundle. These two companies dual-handedly control the primary segments of media and entertainment in Canada. See this June 2012 article where I detail Rogers and Bell's interests throughout the Canadian sports, media and telecommunications landscape. You have judge if this is reason enough for you to get long; however, Verizon's move doesn't justify Wednesday's drop. Follow @rocco_thestreet -- Written by Rocco Pendola in Santa Monica, Calif.
