Bell MTS investing $400 million to connect Winnipeg with the world's best Internet technology

All-fibre network connections to 275,000 residences and business locations
Investment to create more than 1,100 new jobs, $900 million in economic activity
Largest-ever Manitoba communications infrastructure project closely coordinated with Manitoba Hydro and the City of Winnipeg

WINNIPEG, March 2, 2020 /CNW Telbec/ - As part of its $1 billion capital investment plan for Manitoba, Bell MTS today announced it is investing approximately $400 million to bring the fastest Internet technology to Winnipeg, with direct fibre connections to approximately 275,000 homes and commercial locations throughout the city.

"Winnipeg is an emerging technology leader, and the Bell MTS all-fibre network will be key to accelerating the city's innovation and economic opportunities. Our fibre links offer the fastest consumer Internet available in Canada now, and will be ready to grow in speed and capacity to ensure Manitobans have full access to the communications services of the future," said Mirko Bibic, President and Chief Executive Officer of BCE Inc. and Bell Canada. "Our Winnipeg fibre rollout is the largest single project in our $1 billion Bell MTS capital investment plan for Manitoba, and the biggest single communications investment in Manitoba's history. As we celebrate the province's 150th birthday, Bell MTS is proud to advance the way Manitobans connect with each other and the world."

"This is a significant investment from Bell MTS that will benefit the residents and business community of Winnipeg," said Ralph Eichler, Minister of Economic Development and Training. "This investment further supports the emergence of Winnipeg and Manitoba as a regional tech hub and will expand upon the infrastructure required to support Manitoba's growing IT sector and innovation, as well as attract global industries that require advanced fibre networks."

"Today's $400 million investment announcement by Bell MTS is a welcome vote of confidence in the City of Winnipeg," said Mayor Brian Bowman. "As we grow to 1 million people, investments like this help to build our city for the future."

Fully funded by Bell, the fibre project will offer Winnipeggers access to leading Bell MTS services such as Gigabit Fibe Internet, Whole Home Wi-Fi and Fibe TV in addition to future advanced technologies enabled by the high data speeds and capacity of fibre connections.

Bell MTS estimates the Winnipeg project will create more than 1,100 direct and indirect jobs in Winnipeg and other Manitoba locations and an additional $900 million in new economic activity. Bell MTS is partnering with a wide range of suppliers to roll out the expansion, including ACME Technical Services, Aecon, Central Telecom, Crown Pipeline, Mobia Technology Innovations, WP Teletronics and Valard.

Bell MTS is working closely with Manitoba Hydro and the City of Winnipeg to ensure maximum efficiency in the buildout, which will leverage innovative installation techniques and state-of-the-art equipment to minimize disruption for residents and businesses. Updates on service availability can be found at BellMTS.ca/Winnipeg.

Ongoing investment in Manitoba
With a $1 billion capital investment plan, Bell MTS has been executing an accelerated network fibre and wireless rollout in communities large and small across Manitoba since 2017.

With all-fibre connections, Bell MTS is bringing Internet access speeds of up to 1.5 Gigabits per second, the fastest available to consumers in Canada, to more than 30 communities throughout the province – including our recent announcement of a fibre rollout in the City of Flin Flon.

Bell MTS has also brought Canada's Best National Mobile Network to Manitobans with Bell's award-winning LTE Advanced (LTE-A) mobile service, which now reaches 90% of Manitobans. This includes broadband coverage along Highway 75 from Winnipeg to the US border, and to previously underserved communities like Churchill, Cross Lake, Berens River, Glenboro, Gods Lake Narrows, Jackhead and Southeastern Manitoba. Work is also under way to complete LTE-A coverage along Highway 6 from Winnipeg to Thompson.

About Bell MTS
Bell MTS is part of BCE, Canada's largest communications company, providing advanced broadband wireless, TV, Internet and business communication services throughout Manitoba alongside leading television, radio, out-of-home and digital media assets from Bell Media. To learn more, please visit BellMTS.ca or BCE.ca.

Bell Let's Talk in Manitoba
Bell Let's Talk enables a range of community mental health initiatives in Manitoba and offers a dedicated fund for Indigenous mental health, which has supported Peguis Foundation and SunLodge Village, Ma Mawi Wi Chi Itata, Ogijiita Pimatiswin Kinamatwin, Bear Clan Patrol and Behavioural Health Foundation.

Caution concerning forward-looking statements
Certain statements made in this news release are forward-looking statements. These statements include, without limitation, statements relating to our network deployment and capital investment plans in Manitoba and the expected benefits to result therefrom, BCE's business outlook, objectives, plans and strategic priorities, and other statements that are not historical facts. Forward-looking statements are typically identified by the words assumption, goal, guidance, objective, outlook, project, strategy, target and other similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as aim, anticipate, believe, could, expect, intend, may, plan, seek, should, strive and will. All such forward-looking statements are made pursuant to the 'safe harbour' provisions of applicable Canadian securities laws and of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.

Forward-looking statements, by their very nature, are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties and are based on several assumptions, both general and specific, which give rise to the possibility that actual results or events could differ materially from our expectations expressed in or implied by such forward-looking statements and that our business outlook, objectives, plans and strategic priorities may not be achieved. These statements are not guarantees of future performance or events, and we caution you against relying on any of these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release describe our expectations as of March 2, 2020 and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date. Except as may be required by applicable securities laws, we do not undertake any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this news release, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Our network deployment and capital investment plans in Manitoba and the benefits expected to result therefrom are subject to risks and, accordingly, there can be no assurance that our network deployment plans will be completed or that the benefits expected to result therefrom will be realized.

For additional information on assumptions and risks underlying certain forward-looking statements made in this news release, please refer to BCE's Safe Harbour Notice Concerning Forward-Looking Statements dated February 6, 2020, filed by BCE with the Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities (available at Sedar.com) and with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (available at SEC.gov). This document is also available at BCE.ca.

Media inquiries:
Morgan Shipley
Bell MTS
204-391-2849
morgan.shipley@bellmts.ca
@BellMTS_News
@Bell_News

Scott Powell
Manitoba Hydro
204-360-4417 (w)
204-299-8849 (c)
spowell@hydro.mb.ca

Corporate Communications
City of Winnipeg
204-986-6000
city-mediainquiry@winnipeg.ca

Investor inquiries:
Thane Fotopoulos
514-870-4619
thane.fotopoulos@bell.ca

SOURCE Bell Canada