TELUS to invest $265 million in Quebec in 2013

By end of year, TELUS will have injected $14 billion in technology and operations in Quebec since 2000
4G LTE network, fibre-to-the-home, Optik TV, cloud-computing, health technology: TELUS brings to consumers, businesses and healthcare professionals the best solutions for work, home and on the go

MONTREAL, May 8, 2013 /CNW/ - TELUS is investing $265 million in Quebec this year to expand coverage of the world's fastest wireless technology to more people, extend the reach of Optik TV, and connect a large number of homes directly to blazing-fast fibre optic cables. This investment is a part of a three year commitment to invest $840 million from 2012 to 2014 in Quebec.

"This year's $265 million capital investment builds on the $14 billion we have invested in technology and operations across Quebec since 2000. We want Quebec consumers, businesses and the public sector to have access to the fastest and most reliable technology possible. We also want to leverage our world-class innovation and technology to tackle the challenges facing our healthcare system," explains François Côté, Executive Vice President of TELUS and Vice-Chair of TELUS Quebec, TELUS Health and TELUS Ventures. "Whether our customers are at home, at work or on the go, we have the right tools, be it the latest smartphones, the best in TV entertainment, electronic medical records or our cloud-computing solutions to enhance business productivity. With over 5,500 employees province-wide and our networks that are accessible to 97 per cent of the population, our presence can be felt everywhere you go. We are proud to be contributing to the economic development of every region in Quebec."

"As important as our investments in infrastructure are, our community investment and engagement is what we take to heart the most," François notes. "Our 'We give where we live' philosophy may sound simple, but it has an immeasurable impact on our communities. Notably, our 5,500 team members and over 1,500 retirees in Quebec have volunteered 320,000 hours of their time since 2000 and helped us donate $40 million to local organizations since 2005. It is their generosity and the great work of our three community boards that enabled us to become the recipient of the first-ever Award for Philanthropic Company of the Year from the Quebec chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals."

TELUS' 2013 capital investment of $265 million will enable the company to:

• Continue deploying the world's fastest mobile technology to another 30 communities in 2013. The largest 4G LTE network in Canada is already available to more than 70 per cent of the Quebec population through its launch in the Montreal, Quebec City, Chaudière-Appalaches, Mauricie, Gatineau, Lower St. Lawrence, Gaspé, Côte-Nord, Charlevoix and Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean regions. This world-class network gives TELUS customers access to much higher downloading speeds when surfing the web or watching videos.
  
  
• Expand its Optik TV service to an additional 20 communities in the Quebec City, Gaspé, Côte-Nord and Lower St. Lawrence regions. An even greater number of customers will benefit from the exceptional HD image quality and unique features of Optik TV, such as being able to browse social media sites while watching television and recording your favourite shows using your smartphone. With 250 channels, including over 90 in HD, Optik TV offers one of the widest selections in Quebec.
  
  
• Deploy its fibre-to-the-home network, starting with Rimouski, to deliver the next-generation of Optik services at even faster speeds. TELUS is investing in tomorrow's technology to meet the growing needs of its customers, whether it be to play online games, watch 3D movies or download the latest chart-toppers.
  
  
• Further develop its range of business services, specifically by installing fibre optics in a number of industrial and technology sectors. These ultra high-speed networks, along with TELUS' world-leading, environmentally-advanced Super Internet Data Centre in Rimouski, are driving the adoption of cloud-computing, whose multiple solutions - ranging from virtual servers to network storage space - enable customers to cut their IT expenses and focus on their core activities.
  
  
• Improve healthcare by integrating technological solutions into the Quebec care continuum, be it telehealth, electronic medical records, or remote patient monitoring. TELUS offers solutions aimed at improving the efficiency of healthcare in Quebec and is committed to investing in the future of the province's health network.
  
  
• Continue to support hundreds of Quebec charities, such as the Association du cancer de l'Est du Québec, L'Itinéraire, the Dr. Julien Foundation, the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), The Lighthouse Children and Families, the Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation, Les Œuvres Jean Lafrance and Opération Enfant Soleil. Last year, TELUS, its team members and retirees donated more than $5.5 million to support charitable and not-for-profit organizations in Quebec.

This investment is in line with TELUS' consolidated capital expenditure targets for 2013.

About TELUS in Quebec 
TELUS has over 85 years of history in Quebec and currently employs some 5,500 team members in the province. Since 2000, the company has invested nearly $14 billion in the Quebec economy and its infrastructure development. A Canadian industry leader, TELUS offers Quebec communities access to state-of-the-art global communication technologies, at home, in the workplace and on the go. In support of our philosophy to "give where we live", the company has contributed $40 million since 2005 in support of local community organizations in Quebec, such as Opération Enfant Soleil, the Dr. Julien Foundation, Les Oeuvres Jean Lafrance and the Association du cancer de l'Est du Québec.

About TELUS
TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a leading national telecommunications company in Canada, with $10.9 billion of annual revenue and more than 13.1 million customer connections, including 7.7 million wireless subscribers, 3.4 million wireline network access lines, 1.4 million Internet subscribers and 678,000 TELUS TV customers. Led since 2000 by President and CEO, Darren Entwistle, TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services, including wireless, data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, television, entertainment and video.

In support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed more than $300 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered 4.8 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. Fourteen Community Boards lead TELUS' local philanthropic initiatives. TELUS was honoured to be named the most outstanding philanthropic corporation globally for 2010 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, becoming the first Canadian company to receive this prestigious international recognition.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com.

Forward-looking statement
This news release contains statements about expected future events of TELUS that are forward-looking. By their nature, forward-looking statements require the Company to make assumptions and predictions, and are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties. There is significant risk that the forward-looking statements will not prove to be accurate. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements as a number of factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from that expressed in the forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, TELUS disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise forward-looking statements.

SOURCE: TELUS Corporation

Jacinthe Beaulieu
TELUS Media Relations
[email protected]
418-318-6102