The Globe and Mail reports in its Monday edition that when Bell Canada announced in June it was selling Northwestel to a consortium of northern indigenous communities, the telco hailed the $1-billion deal as a milestone in advancing indigenous self-determination. A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe quotes Bell saying that Northwestel, which provides phone, Internet and television services in Canada's North, would benefit from commitments by its new owner, Sixty North Unity, to double fibre Internet speeds and expand high-speed availability. But the deal also signalled a shift for Bell's owner, BCE, which appeared focused on "unlocking value from its business and monetizing stand-alone assets," said CIBC analyst Stephanie Price in a recent research note. That is to say, it was time to sell off parts of the company it no longer wanted. As Canada's telco sector copes with challenges such as slower growth and fierce competition, the dominant players are poised to continue shedding assets to reduce costs, industry watchers say. Rogers Communications has said it intends to sell off certain assets, including nearly $1-billion in real estate. Rogers divested its stake in Cogeco last December for $829-million.