Canadian Wireless Carriers Break Through North American Text Messaging Barriers; Inter-Carrier Mobile SMS Text Messaging To Be Reality In Canada.

Business/Technology Editors

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 6, 2001

In a move that promises to unify and strengthen the text messaging market, Canada's four wireless communications providers today announced a North American first. Bell Mobility, Microcell Connexions, Rogers AT&T Wireless and TELUS Mobility have joined forces to develop an initiative that will enable inter-carrier, mobile text messaging for digital wireless customers across Canada. CMG Wireless Data Solutions has been selected to provide the technology for the service.

SMS-based messaging allows mobile wireless customers to quickly send and receive short text messages to be viewed instantly on their wireless phones. Many wireless phones sold today in Canada have the feature, but the service is currently limited as customers can only communicate between customers on the same network. To overcome this limitation, the four major wireless operators will enable both origination and termination of short message service (SMS) between their respective wireless networks. This enhanced functionality will be available to all text messaging subscribers of these four carriers, coast-to-coast.

With this initiative, Canadian wireless users will be able to easily send and receive text messages to and from users of different networks by simply addressing it to the recipient's phone number. Inter-carrier SMS messaging has become a phenomenon in Europe and Asia and now Canadians will have this same functionality, regardless of which network they subscribe to.

Today at 1:00 p.m. at the Metro Convention Centre in Toronto (South Building, Room 707) the four wireless carriers, CWTA and CMG will discuss this exciting announcement.

In just two years, the number of SMS messages sent worldwide has grown from 1 billion messages per month to more than 16 billion messages per month, and this is envisioned that this number will continue to grow. The continuing growth of SMS demonstrates that text messaging is now achieving mass market status in many markets of the world where the visual message is becoming as popular as voice.

"The explosive growth of SMS seen in Europe has been limited in North America largely due to technology barriers," said Mark Quigley, research director, Yankee Group Canada. "In the past, mobile-to-mobile SMS messages in North America were restricted by incompatible technologies in use by the independent cellular operators. This agreement removes those barriers by bridging the incompatible networks, representing North America's first inter-carrier, multi-network mobile text messaging initiative. The move will lead to an overall increase in Canadian SMS traffic and open the door to the development of new text-based mobile notification and communication services for the Canadian wireless market."

The four Canadian carriers have signed an agreement with CMG, which will use its Inter-SMSC Router (ISR) service to manage the SMS cross-carrier traffic. The service will bridge all of the leading mobile network technologies, including CDMA, GSM, iDEN and TDMA. Designed to operate on an independently hosted open platform, the service will encourage easy interconnection of carriers and scalable worldwide connection in the future. The strategy is to create seamless mobile text messaging to follow successful European trends. Interoperability has not been a barrier for carriers in Europe since they share the same network technology.

"Canada has always been a world leader in telecommunications, and this is yet another example of our leadership in the wireless world," said Peter Barnes, president and CEO, Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association. "This move continues the long tradition of Canadian operators being at the forefront of North American wireless technology and enables participating carriers to launch new mobile applications and services that will reach the entire Canadian market."

Bell Mobility

Bell Mobility, a division of Bell Canada, provides a complete range of innovative wireless communications solutions: PCS and cellular, web-browsing and data, two-way messaging, paging and airline passenger communications services. Bell Canada, Canada's national leader for communications in the Internet world, provides connectivity to residential and business customers through wired and wireless voice and data communications, high speed and wireless Internet access, IP-broadband services, e-business solutions, local and long distance phone and directory services. Bell Canada is owned by BCE Inc. of Montreal (80%) and by SBC Communications Inc. of San Antonio, Texas (20%). For more information please visit www.bell.ca.

Microcell Connexions

Microcell Connexions Inc., a subsidiary of Microcell Telecommunications Inc. (TSE: MTI.B; Nasdaq: MICT), within the Microcell PCS division, owns and operates the Microcell GSM network, and wholesales wireless access to service providers, including Microcell Solutions Inc., which markets PCS under the Fido(R)brand name.

Rogers AT&T Wireless

Rogers Wireless Inc. operates under the co-brand Rogers AT&T Wireless and operates in Canadian cities from coast-to-coast. Rogers Wireless provides a complete range of wireless solutions including Digital PCS, cellular, paging, two-way messaging, and wireless data services to a total of more than 3.2 million customers across Canada. Rogers Wireless Communications Inc. ("RWCI") (TSE: RCM.B; NYSE: RCN) is approximately 51% owned by Rogers Communications Inc. and approximately 33% owned by AT&T Wireless Services. For more information, visit www.rogers.com.

TELUS Mobility

TELUS Mobility provides a full suite of wireless services, including both the TELUS Mobility PCS and Mike digital wireless networks, to clients across Canada. TELUS Mobility is the national wireless business unit of TELUS Corporation (TSE: T, T.A; NYSE: TU), one of Canada's leading telecommunications companies. For more information, please visit us at www.telusmobility.com.

CMG Wireless Data Solutions

CMG Wireless Data Solutions is the leading global supplier of messaging, mobile Internet, and Customer Care and Billing solutions for the wireless industry. CMG develops high-end solutions in close co-operation with its partners. To date, more than 200 of these quality solutions have been delivered to over 100 operators worldwide. They are widely recognized to be the best available, combining minimum operator intervention with maximum performance and availability. The product portfolio includes solutions based on the Wireless Service Broker(TM), Unified Messaging solution, Multimedia Message Service Center, Short Message Service Center, Cell Broadcast System and EPPIX (Customer Care & Billing System). CMG Wireless Data Solutions is a division of CMG plc (http://www.cmg.com/); CMG was established in 1964 and currently employs around 13,000 employees. The group is listed on the London and Amsterdam stock exchanges.

Canadian Wireless Telecommunications Association (CWTA)

CWTA is the authority on wireless issues, developments and trends in Canada. It represents cellular, PCS, paging, mobile radio, fixed wireless and mobile satellite carriers as well as companies that develop and produce products and services for the industry.