Bell expanding 4G LTE wireless to small communities across Atlantic Canada

• Bell Mobility's world-leading broadband LTE mobile service coming to 52 additional communities in the 4 Atlantic provinces in 2014, more than 100 by the end of 2015
• Consumers and business customers to benefit from the most powerful smartphones and mobile apps
• Bell will announce other regional LTE buildouts across Canada in coming months

HALIFAX, July 23, 2014 /CNW Telbec/ - Bell today announced the 52 communities across New Brunswick, Newfoundland & Labrador, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island that will join Bell Mobility's world-leading 4G LTE wireless network by the end of 2014. The number of new communities served by Bell's broadband LTE in Atlantic Canada will surpass 100 by the end of 2015.

Bell will be employing recently acquired 700 MHz spectrum and other bandwidth assets to deliver LTE services to small towns and rural communities right across Canada, including the North, expanding the reach of its Fourth Generation (4G) network to deliver superfast mobile data connections to Canadians everywhere.

Bell's LTE network already covers 81% of the national population, including in major centres in the Atlantic provinces, and the company plans to bring coverage to more than 98% of Canadians with its ongoing expansion to rural and remote communities.

"Bell is proud to announce that consumers and businesses in smaller communities across the Atlantic region will be next to benefit from the high quality, high bandwidth mobile connections made possible with LTE," said Wade Oosterman, President of Bell Mobility. "Customers in places from Campbellton to Bonavista and Bridgetown to Tignish will have access to the same great broadband service and mobile applications as are available in major centres across Canada. For people living, working or travelling in Atlantic Canada, wireless just got better."

4G LTE is today's worldwide gold standard for wireless technology. To support its expansion to smaller communities, Bell is employing new 700 MHz spectrum, airwaves that provide both strong in-building connections and reliable coverage over longer distances, vital to network expansion in rural Canada. Bell acquired a significant amount of 700 MHz spectrum in every national market in the federal government's spectrum auction earlier this year, and in April was the first company in Canada to launch 700 MHz LTE service.

Since 2006, Bell has invested over $5 billion to build its advanced wireless networks across the country. As a result, Canadians are rapidly adopting smartphones and quickly becoming world leaders in usage of new wireless services like Mobile TV and mobile payments.

New LTE communities in Atlantic Canada
New Atlantic communities that will benefit from LTE service in 2014 include regional social and economic hubs, tourist destinations and communities on important transportation and commercial routes, including highways, harbours and border crossings.

The following 52 communities in Atlantic Canada will receive Bell 4G LTE service by the end of 2014, with more than 50 additional communities to be announced in 2015:

New Brunswick
Acton
Campbellton
Caraquet
Carlingford
Cassilis
Clair
Dumfries
Dundee
Florenceville-Bristol
Juniper
Noonan
Riceville
Richibucto
Saint Andrews
Saint-Quentin
Westmoreland
Whites Cove

Newfoundland & Labrador
Bonavista
Clarenville
Elliston
Epworth
Garnish
Glovertown
Grand Bank
Lewisporte
Marystown
Pasadena
Perry's Cove
Point May
Pointe Verde
Port aux Basques
Salmon Cove
Springdale
Summerville

Nova Scotia
Bridgetown
Bridgewater
Coldbrook
Guysborough
Martock
Londonderry
Lunenburg
Port Hastings
Pugwash
St. Andrews
Shelburne

Prince Edward Island
Albany
Augustine Cove
Glencoe
Norboro
Kensington
Urbainville
Tignish

About Bell
Bell is Canada's largest communications company, providing consumers and business customers with wireless, TV, Internet, home phone and business communications services. Bell Media is Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio and digital media. Bell is wholly owned by Montréal's BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE). For more information, please visit Bell.ca.

Bell Let's Talk promotes Canadian mental health with national awareness and anti-stigma campaigns, like Clara's Big Ride for Bell Let's Talk and Bell Let's Talk Day, and significant Bell funding of community care and access, research, and workplace initiatives. To learn more, please visit Bell.ca/LetsTalk.

SOURCE: Bell Canada