Quebecor is calling Ottawa's pledge to block the wholesale transfer of Shaw Communications Inc.'s wireless licenses to Rogers Communications Inc. as part of its takeover deal a "step in the right direction."

Quebecor chief executive Pierre Karl Péladeau says it is important to create the necessary conditions for real competition in order to give consumers more choice, lower prices, better services and more innovation.

The Rogers $26-billion deal to buy Shaw and its Freedom Mobile wireless business has faced stiff opposition from consumer groups, academics, customers and others.

The deal is under review by three different federal regulators including the Competition Bureau and the CRTC as well as spectrum regulator Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED).

Federal Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Thursday that the wholesale transfer of Shaw’s wireless licenses to Rogers is fundamentally incompatible with the government’s policies for spectrum and mobile service competition.

Rogers and Shaw have said they are continuing to work constructively with the government and regulators.