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The Internet is a strategic priority for BCE, affecting virtually every business we're in. And no wonder - the Internet's social, political and economic significance is enormous. Every day, more and more people stay in touch, learn, work, shop and bank using the Internet. It revolutionizes business through e-commerce and reorders our personal lives... the phenomenon has only just begun.

As more activities become Internet-enabled, the number of users is increasing, fuelling even greater demand for Internet access, services and products. This explains why data now accounts for about half the traffic volume moving over our networks, and why it's growing 10 times faster than voice. To sustain its leadership as a communications company, BCE is proving its mettle on the Internet.



Sympatico
Sympatico Internet service leads the market with more than half a million subscribers nationally, 200,000 of whom reside in Bell's territory. The national figure represents one out of every five Canadian Internet users, a 54 per cent growth over the previous year.

Nortel Networks
Today's enterprise must communicate with employees, customers, suppliers and partners over secure networks, combining voice and data and spanning vast distances. Nortel's 1998 merger with Bay Networks, creating Nortel Networks, was designed to give Nortel a leadership position in meeting this fast growing need. Unified Networks, unveiled just two months after the merger, promises seamless, cost-effective solutions that span data and telephony.

In response to the Internet's imperative for speed, Nortel Networks also embarked on wide-ranging changes designed to bring products to market faster.

Bell ActiMedia
Canada's leading directory publisher made significant inroads on the Internet throughout 1998.

This explains why the former Tele-Direct changed its name to Bell ActiMedia early in 1999 - to reflect a closer alliance with the Bell family and greater involvement with interactive media.

In partnership with the Toronto Star, Bell ActiMedia launched toronto.com, one of the world's most comprehensive city Web sites. Bell ActiMedia is also partnering with other BCE companies, notably our e-commerce specialist BCE Emergis.

BCE Emergis
To seize on emerging opportunities, in August Bell Canada's electronic business solutions division and MPACT Immedia announced their merger, creating one of the largest e-commerce companies in the world with Bell Canada holding a 65 per cent interest. In January, the company was renamed BCE Emergis.

Early in 1999, BCE Emergis, Bell Canada and Microsoft Canada were selected by e-route inc. - owned by a group of Canadian banks - to enter into exclusive contract negotiations to provide an electronic bill presentment service. Electronic bill presentment enables consumers and businesses to receive, review and pay bills electronically. The potential efficiencies for customers and banks is enormous - as is the size of this emerging market.

1-Meg Modem


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