Bell is first in Canada to achieve Cisco Powered TelePresence Connection Certification

Sep 6, 2007

Bell IP VPN service supports the most demanding enterprise business
applications

MONTREAL, Quebec, Sept. 6 /CNW Telbec/ - Bell today announced that it is
the first Canadian communications provider to achieve the Cisco Powered
TelePresence Connection Certification for its IP VPN service.
"Achieving this prestigious certification for our IP VPN
service-available nationally and globally- makes clear that Bell is well
prepared to support the convergence of real-time voice, video and data and
underlines that Bell networks can support the most demanding business
applications our enterprise customers may have now and into the future," said
Stéphane Boisvert, president of the Bell Enterprise Group. "Cisco TelePresence
is a uniquely powerful collaboration tool for business clients that can be
delivered only via a correspondingly powerful and reliable Internet Protocol
network."
Bell is the first service provider in Canada to achieve the Cisco Powered
TelePresence network status enabling the delivery of the Cisco TelePresence
solution. Bell takes advantage of Cisco Internet Protocol Next-Generation
Network (IP NGN) architecture and innovative technology to deliver a highly
scalable and secure solution. The Cisco TelePresence system creates unique,
"in-person" experiences between people, places and events in their work and
personal lives. Cisco TelePresence delivers life-size images, via
ultra-high-definition video (1080p) and spatial audio within a
specially-designed environment for the experience of being in the same room
with remote participants, whether they are down the street or around the
world.
"Cisco TelePresence provides an unprecedented 'in-person' meeting
experience that enables companies to improve business efficiency and gives
them the potential to transform their businesses through faster and richer
collaboration, instant access to expertise, and better cross-cultural
communication," said Terry Walsh, president, Cisco Canada. "In order to
maintain the extremely high-quality experience of Cisco TelePresence meetings,
Cisco set up a tough accreditation process. We are pleased that Bell has
achieved the level of video communications expertise required for an optimal
TelePresence experience."
The Cisco TelePresence certification process goes beyond static service
measurement of network performance. It adds leading practices based on current
industry standards for network architecture, management and performance
including measurement, staff, processes and tools. These are audited annually
via third-party verification to help ensure that service providers are
committed and able to offer an optimal telepresence experience. This same
foundation is used for complex ICT solutions delivered by Bell, providing
customers with robust, end-to-end solutions that meet their business needs
today and into the future.
"Telepresence delivers on the videoconferencing vision - a remote
experience almost as good as an in-person meeting that eliminates travel
expenses and lost productivity time" wrote Claire Schooley, senior analyst,
and Henry Dewing, principal analyst, at Forrester in "Telepresence: The
Cadillac of Videoconferencing", April 2007.
"An increasingly distributed workplace, growing technical maturity, and
real return on investment (ROI) proof cases are coalescing to herald in the
next generation of videoconferencing systems, ones that really work and have
true business benefits" added Henry Dewing in Forrester's March 2007 report
"Videoconferencing Rises Again".

About Bell

Bell is Canada's largest communications company, providing consumers with
solutions to all their communications needs, including telephone services,
wireless communications, high-speed Internet, digital television and voice
over IP. Bell also offers integrated information and communications technology
(ICT) services to businesses and governments, and is the Virtual Chief
Information Officer (VCIO) to small and medium businesses (SMBs). Bell is
proud to be a Premier National Partner and the exclusive Communications
Partner to the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Bell is
wholly owned by BCE Inc. For information on Bell's products and services,
please visit www.bell.ca. For corporate information on BCE, please visit
www.bce.ca.

For further information: For media inquiries: Jacques Bouchard, Bell Media Relations, (514) 391-2007, 1-877-391-2007, jacques.bouchard1@bell.ca