Allstream and eLoyalty first to offer cross-border Cloud-based Cisco HCS Unified Communications services between Canada and the U.S.

Stock Symbols: MBT & TTEC (NASDAQ)

TORONTO and DENVER, Dec. 21, 2015 /CNW/ - Allstream, Canada's all-business communications provider, today announced the introduction of cross-border service for its Hosted Collaboration Solution (HCS).  Through its strategic partnership with eLoyalty, part of TeleTech Technology, Allstream is now able to deliver the same industry-leading HCS functionality and 24/7 support to clients with locations in the United States.

Allstream HCS is a hosted and fully managed Unified Communications and Collaboration (UCC) solution which delivers the Cisco® Unified Communications and Collaboration suite of applications to Canadian businesses in a cost-effective, cloud-based model.  All Canadian services will be hosted locally and delivered to customers over Allstream's world-class, SIP enabled, resilient fibre IP network designed to help ensure a high level of security and reliability.  U.S.-based services will be hosted in the United States and delivered via the customer's preferred network provider.

The cross-border solution enables Allstream customers to operate their Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) network -- including integrated voice, video, presence and mobility applications to compatible desktop and mobile devices -- seamlessly.

"Businesses on both sides of the border are looking for ways to improve and simplify their communications while enabling their staff to collaborate easily with unlimited mobility," says Edith Cloutier, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Allstream.  "Our Hosted Collaboration Solution is backed by the security and reliability of our national fibre network and, being a cloud-based service, offers customers the benefits of simpler budgeting and greater agility with their IT and collaboration services when operating in both countries."

This cross-border solution is priced on a per-seat, per-month basis in Canadian or U.S. currency as appropriate.  Leveraging the cloud, the cross-border solution minimizes up-front capital costs and reduces reliance on internal resources associated with traditional premises-based equipment (CPE) deployments.  Geo-redundancy is also provided "in-country" with operational and customer data only being routed to the corresponding geo-redundant site.

"Allstream and eLoyalty are the first service providers to bring to market a cross-border collaboration solution over national MPLS and SIP networks," said Jack Denault, Senior Vice President, Technology Sales and Alliances, TeleTech.  "Together we are leading the way with a cost-effective, efficient and effective cloud collaboration solution, which helps customers operate their businesses in Canada and the U.S. as seamlessly as possible.  No other Cisco HCS Service Provider or Cisco Value Added Reseller is offering a solution of this type today. Ours is the only cloud option of choice for all trans-national organizations looking to collaborate regardless of location, preferred end-point devices or documentation that needs to be shared."

About Allstream
Allstream is a Canadian leader in IP communications and the only national provider that works exclusively with business customers.  Supported by its more than 30,000-kilometre nationwide high-performance fibre-optic network, Allstream's communications technologies and services include a range of innovative, highly-scalable IP, Cloud and Security solutions that help organizations communicate more efficiently and profitably.  Allstream is recognized for offering solutions that its competitors will not and for delivering the best customer experience among national providers.  Allstream is a Cisco Gold Certified Partner, a Cisco Cloud and Managed Service Partner (CMSP) and holds a Cisco Powered service designation -- Canada's only Cisco Gold Star for Service Excellence award winner for 12 consecutive periods.  Allstream was Canada's first certified Hosted Collaboration Solution partner.  The company is wholly-owned by Manitoba Telecom Services Inc., which is listed on the TSX (trading symbol: MBT).  For more information, visit: www.allstream.com. 

About eLoyalty, LLC
eLoyalty, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of TeleTech Holdings, Inc., is recognized industrywide for 25 years in transforming customer management environments for a wide variety of multinational clients across a variety of industries. eLoyalty has unparalleled experience and qualifications with managed on-premises and cloud multichannel contact center solutions, as well as virtual store and branch integration. Organizations that require advanced voice, data, and multichannel technologies integrated with customer experience strategy turn to eLoyalty for consulting and professional services, systems integration, application development, monitoring, managed services, and transformational customer experience solutions. Drawing on relationships with industry leaders like Cisco Systems®, eLoyalty blends their services with industry-leading hardware and software applications to deliver best-in-class solutions. For more information, visit eLoyalty on the web at www.eloyalty.com

ABOUT TELETECH
TeleTech (NASDAQ: TTEC) is a leading global provider of customer experience, engagement and growth solutions. Founded in 1982, the Company helps its clients acquire, retain and grow profitable customer relationships. Using customer-centric strategy, technology, processes and operations, TeleTech partners with business leadership across marketing, sales and customer care to design and deliver a simple, more human customer experience across every interaction channel. Servicing over 80 countries, TeleTech's 41,000 employees live by a set of customer-focused values that guide relationships with clients, their customers, and each other. To learn more about how TeleTech is bringing humanity to the customer experience, visit TeleTech.com.

Forward-looking Statements Disclaimer

This news release includes forward-looking statements and information (collectively, the "statements") about Allstream's and Teletech's business opportunities, operations, technology, security, reliability and performance of its future offerings that are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. As a consequence, actual results in the future may differ materially from any conclusion, forecast or projection in such forward-looking statements. Therefore, forward-looking statements should be considered carefully and undue reliance should not be placed on them. Examples of statements that constitute forward-looking information may be identified by words such as "believe", "expect", "project", "should", "anticipate", "could", "target", "forecast", "intend", "plan", "outlook", "see", "set", "pending", and other similar terms.

Please note that forward-looking statements reflect Allstream's and Teletech's expectations as at the date hereof. Allstream and Teletech disclaim any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE Manitoba Telecom Services Inc.

Keith Irish, Corporate Communications, Allstream, 416-644-6888, [email protected]; Paul Miller, Investor Relations, eLoyalty, 303-397-8641; Elizabeth Grice, Media Relations, eLoyalty, 303-397-8507