About Us

First business card. Over the years, the name has been changed to remove the “Les.” Now we say “Télécommunications de l’Est” instead of “Les Télécommunications de l’Est.”

In April 1978, Denis Gignac started his business with a deposit of just $200. A full-time technician at Radio-Canada in Matane, Denis spent his free time developing his own business repairing local radio equipment. His success came from the experience he had acquired while working at Mines Gaspé in Murdochville following his studies at Cégep de Trois-Rivières.

As the needs required in the field of radiocommunication were so great, he was quickly overtaken by demand for his work. He set up a room in the family basement and hired his first technician in 1983.

After nine years with Radio-Canada, he decided to concentrate full-time on his business in 1987. From 1980 to 1988, Denis has installed numerous radio communications sites, more particularly in the Bas-St-Laurent and Gaspé region, this is the period of democratization of radio communications services.

The end of the 1980s saw the arrival of new products and services with the opening of the market for the sale of telephone equipment to businesses and the arrival of cellular telephony. Denis’ wife, Louise-Andrée Lévesque, also decided to become involved in the business full-time in 1989, taking charge of the company’s administrative management.

When Louise-Andrée retired in 2019, she had dedicated 30 years of loyal service to the company.

The Maria office has the best view. What splendour!

In 1990, Denis opened branches in Gaspé and Maria. The market is continuing to expand in Gaspésie. In 1994, Denis started his regional public paging network with more than 30 transmitting stations in the Gaspésie and Bas-Saint-Laurent regions.

In 1997, Daniel, the son of Denis and Louise-Andrée, began full-time employment in the company, specializing in the areas of cellular and business telephone systems.

When Quebec-Téléphone abandoned its radio communications services, Denis acquired the radio communications facilities of QuébecTel mobilité in 1998. That same year, he opened the Rimouski branch.

In the late 1990s, the company added Globalstar and Iridium satellite phone services to its products, providing a means of communication for people on the move outside of cellular or radio coverage areas.

In June 2001, the Sept-Îles branch of Elyps Solutions de répartition became the first branch of Télécommunications de l’Est’s expansion to the Côte-Nord. This growth then continued when the company’s management acquired the Havre-St-Pierre branch of Satcom Télécom sans fil in 2002.

In the 1960s, the beginnings of Elyps Solutions, then known as Mr. and Mrs. Lefrançois’s “Centre de communication électronique Inc.”

In 2002, Télécommunications de l’Est became a dealer for Bell products, namely cellular telephones, and Bell TV satellite systems. In the following years, the company set up branches specializing in cellular phones in Baie-Comeau, Matane, Rimouski, and Sept-Îles in locations that were convenient for local consumers, as well as adding the same products to their existing branches in Gaspé, Maria, and Havre-Saint-Pierre.

In 2004, management acquired Télécom de Gaspé and integrated its activities with the existing Gaspé branch.

A Gaspésie Telecom site.

It wasn’t until 1978 that Albert Boulay started in radio communications. Building site after site, with the help of his family, he made his own repeaters using simple radios. At that time, he was carrying on with his electronics business, marine sales and repairs, and decided to delve into radio communication.

It was at that time that his daughter Manon, began working with him to ensure the succession of the family business. His name was given to the company and Albert Boulay électronique Inc. was created. In 1989, Gaspésie Télécommunications inc., was established, including his 3 children as directors.

In 2007, with the Maria branch well established, management put into place a technician in northeastern New Brunswick, thus expanding the territory served.

That same year, Simon, Denis and Louise-Andrée’s second son, decided to become involved in the business full-time. He begins his duties in purchasing and building maintenance at the telecommunications sites.

In 2008, due to a combination of circumstances, the company developed camera surveillance solutions based on wireless technology. As a result of this experience, a new service was created, and the company began developing the sale of security products and services for companies.

In 2009, we began operations on a major seven-year maintenance contract as a subcontractor for Motorola to ensure the maintenance of the new Quebec government mobile communications network, RENIR.

In 2010, Denis Gignac and Louise-Andrée Lévesque passed the torch to their sons, Daniel and Simon Gignac. Capital régional et coopératif Desjardins (CRCD) invested a total of $500,000 in the transfer of the company. Télécommunications de l’Est also concluded the purchase of Rimouski-based Datafax, adding security services to its existing portfolio of products and services. The Rimouski branch on 2e Rue Est has since doubled in size. The opening of a second branch in Baie-Comeau saw the end of an eventful and productive year.

In 2016, the Executive Director, Daniel Gignac, announced the implementation of the new NOMAD digital mobile wireless communication network in the Gaspésie, Bas-Saint-Laurent, Côte-Nord and northern New Brunswick regions. Individuals, industries, and public services in remote regions and territories of eastern Quebec, not served by a cellular network, will no longer be isolated! With the NOMAD Mobile Network, they will have access to an excellent wireless communication solution. The NOMAD Mobile Network will offer a high-performance wireless communication service, complementary to that of the cellular network, which will contribute to the economic development and security of users in these areas.

2018 marked an important milestone for TDE, the company celebrated its 40th anniversary! A party was held with employees and former employees to mark the occasion.

Denis (left) and Daniel (right), the father (Founder) and the son (Director of Operations) each wanted to say a few words to the people present at the event. A few company highlights, a few jokes, and, of course, a lot of emotions were on the agenda! Photo credit: Jean-François Carrier

TDE, a family history!

From left to right: Daniel Gignac (Director of Operations) and his wife Marie-Eve Thibault (Director of Sales and Cellular and Satellite Operations) accompanied by Louise-Andrée Lévesque (Administrative Technician) and her husband Denis Gignac (Founder and Network and Project Administrator/Senior Technical Advisor).

In 2018, Télécommunications de l’Est became part of the Iristel family. The objective of this partnership is to offer new telecommunications services to the Côte-Nord, Gaspésie, Bas-Saint-Laurent and Quebec City regions. This partnership creates a new telecommunications company that will develop an entirely new cellular network.

Télécommunications de l’Est saw this transaction as an opportunity to join a major group with aspirations to invest in the region, as well as a rare opportunity to join the select group of some fifteen Canadian companies operating a cellular network. Iristel’s knowledge of cellular network operations, its management system, its customer service team, ImobileCa’s owned frequencies; in addition to TDE’s branches, teams, and telecom sites make this three-way marriage a very promising project.

Martin Lemieux-Fortin of the Gaspé branch proudly posing with the Iristel logo.

Forty-five years of development and growth have transformed a hobby into a forward-looking, large-scale business that is the pride of its employees and owners.

The adventure of TDE began for Denis Gignac. Imagine all the stories he could tell…