Allstream to store seven year records of customers' invoices electronically

Industry-leading billing improvement solves a business challenge while reducing environmental impact

Stock Symbol:  MBT

TORONTO, May 31, 2012 /CNW/ - Allstream, Canada's all-business communications provider, is proud to announce that it will begin storing seven years' worth of electronic invoices on its customers' behalf beginning this July.

Currently organizations are required by the Canada Revenue Agency to maintain six years' worth of financial documentation. Until now there hasn't been a solution for businesses that eliminates the need to print and store invoices.

By providing customers with 24-7 secure access to a searchable database of invoices through its self-service portal, TouchPoint, Allstream's solution reduces the need for printing, making it an environmentally friendly solution.

"We are very pleased to be leading the industry with a billing solution that, in addition to being green, is convenient and solves a very real business problem for our customers," said Dean Prevost, President, Allstream.

This is the first of several initiatives Allstream has planned to improve the billing experience for its customers - an often overlooked part of the customer experience in the telecom industry.

This initiative also speaks to Allstream's continuing commitment to helping its customers reduce their impact on the environment by providing them with communications solutions that enable green behaviours.  Allstream currently offers its customers virtual workplace solutions that enable a more flexible workplace, lower costs, support business continuity and reduce their environmental footprint.

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 below, the "Risks and uncertainties" section, elsewhere in the Company's 2011 Annual MD&A and 2011 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.

Media:
Nathan Gibson
Corporate Communications
[phone]
[email protected]