Canadian Bearings selects Allstream to provide Managed MPLS service

Company's IP Network to provide connectivity support to Canada's leading bearing and power transmission distributor

Stock Symbol: MBT

TORONTO, Dec. 21 /CNW/ - Today, Allstream announced that it has signed an agreement with Canadian Bearings "CB" to provide a Managed Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) service that will run over Allstream's industry leading IP Network. CB is a 100 per cent Canadian-owned supplier of industrial products and supply management services that has been serving the Canadian industry for over 60 years. CB's enhanced capabilities focus on delivering more value to customers. Allstream's MPLS service will provide the IP connectivity for the ongoing functionality of CB's network and network-based services and equipment.

"On behalf of everyone at Allstream, I am very pleased to welcome CB as one of our IP customers," said Dean Prevost, President, Allstream. "Corporate networks have quickly become key business enablers and our MPLS service, which runs over Allstream's national IP network, will provide CB with the network needed to better support their innovative applications for the future."

With CB's 30 service locations across Ontario, Quebec and the Maritimes, Allstream's IP network provides a single-source MPLS service that seamlessly connects them all. As part of the contract, CB will also receive round-the-clock network management, which will proactively monitor their network environment, mitigating network failures.

"We were very pleased with the professional approach by Allstream's sales and engineering teams," said Farhang Manucherian, VP Operations and IT, CB. "Allstream's IP solutions and services match perfectly to our WAN requirements and are a great investment in our customer service and overall growth."

About Allstream

Allstream is Canada's all-business communications provider, focusing and delivering on the business customer's solutions. We're big enough to deliver, but small enough to care. For more information on Allstream services and solutions, please visit www.allstream.com.

Allstream is a business unit of MTS Allstream Inc. ("MTS Allstream"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. As one of Canada's leading national communication solutions companies, MTS Allstream provides innovative communications for the way Canadians want to live and work today. The Company has more than 100 years of experience, with 6,000 employees across Canada dedicated to a mission of delivering true value as seen through the eyes of our customers. MTS Allstream has nearly two million total customer connections spanning business customers across Canada and residential consumers throughout the province of Manitoba. The Company's extensive national broadband and fibre optic network spans almost 30,000 kilometres. Manitoba Telecom Services Inc.'s common shares are listed on Toronto Stock Exchange (trading symbol: MBT). Customers, stakeholders and investors who want to learn more about MTS Allstream are encouraged to visit: www.mtsallstream.com.

Forward-looking Statements Disclaimer

This news release includes forward-looking statements and information (collectively, the "statements") about our corporate direction, business opportunities, operations, financial objectives, planned activities, 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, anticipation or projection in such forward-looking statements. 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 "Risks and Uncertainties" section and elsewhere in our most recent annual MD&A and any subsequent quarterly MD&As, as well as our most recent Annual Information Form, all of which are available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.

Please note that forward-looking statements reflect our expectations as at the date hereof. We 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.

For further information: Media: Jessica Friedle, MTS Allstream Corporate Communications, 416-644-6806, [email protected]