Alpha Group and Cogeco Data Services join forces to provide customers with a
new managed network infrastructure solution

TORONTO , Feb. 4 /CNW/ - Alpha Group (Alpha) and Cogeco Data Services today announced the creation of the Secure Consolidated Network Infrastructure (SCNI). The SCNI offering will provide customers with a fully managed connectivity solution supporting sub-millisecond access to Canadian equity markets, backed by complete network redundancy and guaranteed service levels.

Alpha is providing the new SCNI network to increase trading frequency, decrease costs and simplify network connection requirements for customers accessing the Canadian equity markets and related services.

"Building upon Alpha's core trading capabilities, data product offerings and co-location facilities, SCNI represents the network backbone that will deliver all these services in a cost efficient and reliable manner to the industry," said Alpha Group CIO Karl Ottywill. "SCNI will allow securities industry market participants to access Canadian equity markets and related services from one central location with sub millisecond response times," added Mr. Ottywill .

Cogeco Data and Alpha will provide the SCNI network to market participants through a fully managed, dedicated fibre ring utilizing wavelength division multiplexing based transport technology. The Company's wholly-owned all optical network and expertise with custom solutions make Cogeco Data an ideal partner to implement and operate SCNI.

"SCNI is the next building block of the Alpha Ecosystem," said Alpha Group CEO Jos Schmitt. "It allows for the seamless integration of our industry hub with customers and with other securities industry service providers. In keeping with our efficiency focused and cost conscious operating model, working with a proven and visionary partner such as Cogeco Data was the natural way to implement SCNI," added Mr. Schmitt .

"We understand how critical this network is to market participants," said Cogeco Data Services President Tony P. Ciciretto . "That's why we have combined our skills and capabilities to provide a solution with next generation performance level objectives."

About Alpha

Alpha Group comprises the leading Alternative Trading System for Canadian listed securities (Alpha ATS), and a data distribution plant for Alpha ATS market data. Alpha Group was established in May, 2007 by nine of Canada's leading financial institutions with the aim of increasing the country's securities trading efficiencies and making the Canadian marketplace more globally competitive. Established for the industry by the industry, Alpha Group focuses on increasing liquidity, reducing the cost of trading and providing innovative services leveraging its unique expertise, operating model and technological capabilities. For further information regarding Alpha Group, visit www.alphatradingsystems.ca.

About Cogeco Data Services

With its suite of connectivity and managed services (Ethernet MetroLAN, Managed Wavelengths, Dedicated Internet, Co-location, Storage, Backup and Business Continuity), Cogeco Data Services supplies its customers with the fast, reliable and secure ability to access, manage, move and store large amounts of data worldwide. The Company's wholly-owned, redundant network is all-optical, and offers near limitless bandwidth with services that scale to meet the needs of some of Canada's largest companies and public sector organizations. For more information about Cogeco Data Services, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cogeco Cable Inc., visit www.cogecodata.com.

For further information: Alpha Group, Kate McGrogan, [phone], [email protected]; Cogeco Data Services, Virginia Brailey, Vice President, Marketing and Communications, [phone], [email protected]