The Financial Post reports in its Saturday edition that BCE has been struggling. Guest columnist Robert Gill writes that bearish investors point to: a regulatory directive late last year to make BCE share its network with competitors is a negative development; higher interest rates make investing in it less appealing; and income-hungry investors are concerned that its impressive dividend yield will be cut. Understandably, most companies in mature and competitive industries do not want to share their assets with competitors, so it was unsurprising to learn the telcos opposed this CRTC mandate. In the wake of the directive, BCE announced 4,800 job cuts and scaled back capital-spending plans by more than $1-billion in 2024-25. Following this restructuring, free cash flow is expected to improve this year and into 2025 at an accelerating rate. As for higher interest rates, the simple answer is should interest rates decline, BCE will benefit from a built-in tailwind of lower interest expenses, which will then improve earnings. BCE is considered a dividend aristocrat. The yield is now 8.7 per cent, which is near a 10-year high and very attractive for income-oriented investors. All told, BCE offers a compelling investment case.