Bell introduces Bell AccessZone, a Wi-Fi hotspot pilot providing
    Canadians with another convenient way to wirelessly access high-speed
    Internet service.

TORONTO,Dec. 10 2002 --Bell Canada today announced Bell AccessZone(R),
a Wi-Fi hotspot pilot that will provide Canadians with wireless high-speed
access to the Internet (Wi-Fi is short for Wireless Fidelity and is the most
popular worldwide term for high-speed wireless local area networks in offices,
homes and public spaces). During the three month pilot, Bell will convert a
number of high traffic payphones and other locations in Toronto and Montreal
into wireless Internet access points. This gives mobile professionals,
business travelers and consumers with 802.11b enabled laptops or wireless
handheld devices another convenient option to wirelessly access the Internet,
e-mail and corporate networks in public locations.
    "Bell AccessZone further demonstrates Bell Canada's commitment to meeting
the evolving needs of mobile professionals and business travelers who are
becoming increasingly reliant on wireless technologies for high-speed Internet
access while away from home or the office," said Terry Mosey, President, Bell
Ontario. "The AccessZone pilot builds on Bell's Internet and wireless
expertise and extensive payphone infrastructure. Our partnerships with the
hotspot pilot location providers and with industry leaders such as Intel and
Cisco Systems will ensure that Canadians gain another convenient way to
wirelessly access high-speed Internet service."
    During the Bell AccessZone Wi-Fi pilot, users with 802.11b enabled
devices will be able to gain free access to Bell's hotspot service in the
following high traffic locations: Toronto's Union Station; Via Rail Panorama
lounge in Montreal's Central Station and Toronto's Union Station; the
departure area at Montreal's Dorval International Airport; Kingston's
Confederation Park and Marina supported by the Kingston Economic Development
Corporation; and Kingston's St. Lawrence College. AccessZone is also available
in the Air Canada Maple Leaf lounges at Pearson International Airport
(Terminal 2), Dorval International Airport, and the Calgary International
Airport and will be installed in all other Maple Leaf Lounge locations.
Toronto's Mount Sinai Hospital and Kingston's Frontenac Public Library will
also be deploying a Bell AccessZone location in the coming weeks. Other pilot
locations will be introduced over the pilot period, which is expected to run
until the spring of 2003.
    In addition to providing a helpful and flexible service to individuals on
the go, AccessZone is also a value added service for businesses such as
hotels, office building reception areas, commuter lounges, cafés and
convention centres. Lobbies, seating or common areas can easily be turned into
AccessZones.
    "Air Canada feels that AccessZone Wi-Fi hotspot services will become an
extension of the enterprise and home network by providing high-speed wireless
connectivity to travelers where they would otherwise be out of touch," said
Pierre Bourbonniere, Manager, Airport Products Design and Strategy, Marketing,
Air Canada. "By partnering with Bell we are helping mobile professionals and
business travelers using 802.11b enabled computing devices do business where
they want and access information when they need it."
    According to Mosey, sporting facilities, universities, libraries and
municipalities have also expressed an interest in AccessZone. "Based on the
success of the AccessZone pilot, Bell plans to work with other enterprise
customers across Canada to build a large AccessZone footprint where customers
can gain wireless Internet access in a number of convenient Wi-Fi hotspot
locations," said Mosey. "We've seen a very positive response to our recent
WLAN enterprise offer, and we're anticipating a similar reaction for the Wi-Fi
hotspot service."
    According to industry research, billions of dollars in research and
development and manufacturing capacity are now directed at developing 802.11
products. A November 2001 study conducted by Analysys, a U.S. research
company, suggests that 21 million people will use public Wi-Fi access by 2007,
via 41,000 hotspots, generating $3 billion dollars in revenue. Research
conducted in 2002 by Alexander Resources, states that the largest portion of
worldwide service revenues, reaching $9.5 billion by 2007, will be generated
from WLAN systems deployed in public areas.
    "Intel's involvement with Bell AccessZone initiative is due in large part
to the steady growth in demand we're witnessing from Canadian enterprises and
consumers for 802.11 enabled devices, including laptops based on our upcoming
Banias technology," said Doug Cooper, Country Manager, Intel Canada. "More and
more businesses are requesting 802.11 enabled laptops because they are
deploying WLAN within their own organizations. This growth in corporate users
creates a readily available market for public hotspot providers to tap into."
    Each Bell AccessZone hotspot communicates with an 802.11b enabled device
over a wireless LAN, enabling users to make a high speed DSL connection to the
Internet without the need for a physical landline connection. As long as a
user is within a 50 to 200 metre radius of an AccessZone Wi-Fi hotspot, they
can take advantage of Bell's public wireless broadband network services. Bell
will finalize its competitive pricing structure based on the results of the
three month pilot and other factors. The service is currently being offered
free of charge with no time restrictions. Bell AccessZone is a secure service
when used with a virtual private network (VPN) client and a firewall.
AccessZone will not provide additional security for end-users during the
pilot, however security software can be installed onto equipment to help
prevent security issues. Bell is currently working with leading 802.11
manufacturers as they develop further security solutions such as Wi-Fi
Protected Access (WPA).
    For more information on Bell AccessZone and pilot locations, please visit
www.bell.ca/accesszone.

    About Bell Canada
    Bell Canada, Canada's national leader for communications in the Internet
world, provides connectivity to residential and business customers through
wired and wireless voice and data communications, high speed and wireless
Internet access, IP-broadband services, e-business solutions, local and long
distance phone and directory services. Bell Canada is owned by BCE Inc. of
Montreal. For more information please visit http://www.bell.ca




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For further information: please contact: Don Blair, Bell Media
Relations, (416) 581-3311, 1-888-482-0809, don.blair@bell.ca