The Globe and Mail reports in its Saturday edition that on Monday, BCE announced that it is acquiring Ziply Fiber, a fibre-Internet provider in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, for about $5-billion in cash and the assumption of $2-billion of debt. The Globe's John Heinzl writes that BCE said it plans to maintain its annualized dividend at the current level of $3.99 for the year ending Dec. 31, 2025, and "intends to pause dividend growth until BCE's dividend payout and net debt leverage ratios are tracking towards our target policy ranges, subject to review annually by the BCE Board of Directors." Translation: Do not expect BCE's dividend to rise any time soon. The company's disappointing third-quarter results, which reflected intense price competition in the wireless business, further underscored the challenges it is facing. Given that the company no longer meets the principal criterion for inclusion in Mr. Heinzl's model Yield Hog Dividend Growth Portfolio, he has "sold" the portfolio's 115 BCE shares for proceeds of $4,478.10. He adds that in a future column he will discuss how he will reinvest the cash. BCE shares closed Friday at $39.49, up 55 cents on the Toronto Stock Exchange. They started the year at about $53.