TORONTO (Standard&Poor's) March 16, 2012--Standard&Poor's Ratings Services today said that its ratings and outlook on Montreal-based diversified telecommunications service provider BCE Inc. (BBB+/Stable/--) and its 100%-owned operating subsidiary, Bell Canada, are unchanged following BCE's announcement earlier today that it is acquiring Toronto-based Astral Media Inc. (not rated) for approximately C$3.38 billion. Astral is a leading Canadian provider of specialty and pay television, radio, out-of-home advertising, and digital media properties. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, including court, Astral shareholder, and regulatory approvals. We expect the acquisition of Astral for about C$3.38 billion (about 10x 2012 projected EBITDA), which includes about C$380 million of net debt, to be funded with a combination of cash (approximately
