Allstream recognized for Excellence in Customer Satisfaction

Cisco partner receives eighth consecutive Gold Star

Stock Symbol:  MBT

TORONTO, Aug. 19, 2013 /CNW/ - Allstream, Canada's all-business communications provider, is proud to announce that it has received its eighth consecutive Customer Satisfaction Excellence Gold Star from Cisco. This is the highest distinction a partner can achieve within the Cisco Channel Partner Program. To qualify for this award, companies must achieve 4.6 out of 5 (or 92%) in Cisco-administered customer satisfaction surveys.

"We are honoured that our customers have rated us so highly," said Allstream President Dean Prevost. "Like Cisco, Allstream views customer service excellence as a top priority and we are very proud to receive our eighth Customer Satisfaction Excellence award."

Cisco measures the customer satisfaction levels achieved by its Gold, Silver, and Premier Certified partners based on regional target goals, providing a weighted average of a partner's pre- and post-sales support over a rolling 12-month period. Partners that achieve outstanding customer satisfaction are awarded the Customer Satisfaction Excellence Gold Star.

"We are keenly focused on continuing to offer customers best-in-class services. The investments we have made this year to launch our Allstream Hosted Collaboration Solution (HCS), a hosted and fully managed Cisco unified communications and collaboration solution, is allowing us to offer new and innovative options," added Mr. Prevost. "With these kinds of services we hope to continue to satisfy our customers' needs now and in the future."

About Allstream

Allstream is a Canadian leader in IP communications and the only national communications provider that works exclusively with business customers of all sizes. With nearly 600,000 customer connections, Allstream's momentum is fuelled by the knowledge, skills and entrepreneurial spirit of its 2,500 employees across the country who collaborate with customers to determine their unique communications solutions needs. Supported by its more than 30,000-kilometre nationwide high-performance fibre-optic network, Allstream's broad portfolio of business solutions are built from an array of advanced communications technologies and services including a wide range of innovative, highly-scalable IP-based solutions to help organizations communicate more efficiently and profitably. Allstream takes pride in its commitment to delivering an exceptional customer experience, and has long been recognized by its technology partners for the contributions made to their businesses. Allstream is wholly-owned by Manitoba Telecom Services Inc., which is listed on the TSX (trading symbol: MBT). For information on Allstream's products and solutions, please visit www.allstream.com.

Forward-looking Statements Disclaimer

This news release includes forward-looking statements and information (collectively, the "statements") about the Company's corporate direction, business opportunities, operations, financial objectives and future financial results and performance 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.

Factors that could cause anticipated opportunities and actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, matters identified in the "Material assumptions" section, and the "Risks and uncertainties" section, in the Company's 2012 Annual MD&A and 2012 Annual Information Form, all of which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Please note that forward-looking statements reflect Management's expectations as at the date hereof. The Company disclaims 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: MTS Allstream

Media:
Jessica Poitras
Corporate Communications
204-941-7823
[email protected]