Mr. Wade Oosterman of BCE reports

BELL AND MTS TO COMPLETE WIRELESS COVERAGE ON MANITOBA HIGHWAY 75

BCE Inc. and Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. today released their plans to ensure continuous broadband wireless coverage along Highway 75, Manitoba's main transportation corridor linking Winnipeg with the United States border at Emerson.

Highlights:

• New cell sites and fibre links to support broadband LTE and HSPA-plus mobile services;
• Continuous high-speed wireless coverage from Winnipeg to the U.S. border.

"Bell MTS will hit the ground running in Manitoba with major new investments in broadband communications, including the completion of full wireless coverage along this critical transportation route," said Wade Oosterman, group president of BCE and Bell Canada responsible for all Bell wireless, residential and media services. "The gaps in coverage along this high-traffic corridor have been a concern to residents, businesses and travellers of all kinds. Building better communications networks is what Bell does best, and we're proud to announce this investment to extend our award-winning mobile technology on Manitoba's Highway 75."

An important enabler of economic development in the province, Highway 75 is Manitoba's most important north-south link, and the border crossing at Emerson and Pembina, N.D., is one of the busiest in Western Canada. Residents and travellers along this route currently experience limited coverage along three stretches of Highway 75: between Ste. Agathe and Morris, between Morris and Highway 14, and between Highway 201 and Emerson.

Three major new Bell MTS wireless cell sites linked by broadband fibre will close these gaps to ensure continuous 4G LTE and HSPA-plus coverage all along the highway. Bell's LTE wireless network is ranked by multiple independent analysts as Canada's fastest, with average data speeds double those now available to MTS customers.

"The Bell MTS commitment to improving Highway 75 wireless coverage will enhance the safety and efficiency of a strategic trade and travel artery that is a vital component of Manitoba's trade and transportation network," said Brian Pallister, Premier of Manitoba. "Investment in world-class communications services is critical to Manitoba's ability to compete and prosper in the national and global economies, and we applaud today's commitment to improved communications services."

Unprecedented broadband investment for Manitoba

Bell announced a five-year, $1-billion commitment to expand broadband wireless and fibre communications services in Manitoba following the closing of its acquisition of MTS. Announced on May 2, the transaction is valued at approximately $3.9-billion and expected to close in late 2016 or early 2017. The combined company's Manitoba operations will be known as Bell MTS, and Winnipeg will become the headquarters for Bell's Western Canada team, which grows to 6,900 people with the addition of MTS's 2,700 employees.

"Completing wireless coverage along Highway 75 is a clear example of the benefits that come from Bell's scale and resources and from the company's proven expertise in deploying outstanding broadband wireless networks across the country," said Jay Forbes, president and chief executive officer of MTS. "Bell MTS will be positioned going forward to deliver communications innovation to more Manitobans in more communities across the province."

"The Association of Manitoba Municipalities is very pleased to see the expansion of wireless coverage along the vital Highway 75 corridor," said Chris Goertzen, Mayor of Steinbach and president of AMM. "For municipalities, improved cell service assists first responders with essential communication during emergency situations and fosters economic growth in communities across the province. AMM and MTS have worked together successfully to expand wireless services across Manitoba, and we look forward to future investments in the advanced networks essential to the economic development and safety of Manitoba communities."

Canada's leader in wireless innovation

Bell has earned a long-standing reputation as the builder of Canada's most advanced wireless and wireline network infrastructure and the country's key developer of communications service innovations. Bell's investment in research and development is by far the highest in the telecom industry -- more than $500-million in Canadian reserach and development each year -- and Bell operates wireless innovation centres in Dorval, Que., Toronto and Mississauga, Ont.

Bell is committed to leading the rollout of world-class broadband wireless capability to more small communities and rural areas in Manitoba and across Canada. In 2011, Bell became the first carrier in Canada to offer LTE data speeds in Toronto and surrounding high-tech innovation centres. Today, Bell offers LTE network coverage to more than 98 per cent of the Canadian population. In 2015, Bell was first in Canada to launch the next generation of mobile LTE, dual-band LTE advanced (LTE-A), which is on track to reach 75 per cent of Canadians this year. Later in 2015, Bell was also first in all of North America to deliver tri-band LTE-A technology, with initial service availability in Halifax, Hamilton, Oakville and Toronto.

With speeds up to 260 megabits per second (typical average -- 18 megabits per second to 74 megabits per second) for dual-band and up to 335 megabits per second (typical -- 25 megabits per second to 100 megabits per second) for tri-band, LTE-A supports seamless high-definition video streaming, video conferencing and complex business tools with virtually no wait time.

In addition to significant growth in wireless coverage, speed and service innovation, Bell's five-year, $1-billion capital investment plan for Manitoba includes:

• Gigabit Fibe Internet service, which delivers Internet speeds on average up to 20 times faster than those currently offered to MTS customers;
• Fibe TV, Bell's innovative and fast-growing broadband television service;
• Integration of the MTS Winnipeg data centre into Bell's leading national network of 27 data and cloud-computing centres and connection to the country's most-extensive broadband fibre network footprint.

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