EDMONTON, February 22, 2005 - The Government of Alberta, Axia NetMedia Corporation and
Bell Canada jointly announced today that they are in the final stage of completing the roll out
and commissioning of the Alberta SuperNet.
Under the completion and commissioning plan, all the rural communities in the Extended Area
Network will be connected by April 30, 2005 which will enable local service providers to buy 
bandwidth on the Alberta SuperNet and offer high-speed commercial services including Internet
access, to rural retail customers. Additionally, the vast majority of the government, health,
library and education facilities in the Base Area Network and Extended Area Network will be
connected by June 30, 2005 with the total network being completed by September 30, 2005.
Alberta Restructuring and Government Efficiency Minister Luke Ouellette says,
“It’s very exciting to be completing Alberta SuperNet in the province’s centennial year.
Albertans have been looking forward to having SuperNet operational in their local communities
and very soon this will be realized.” He adds, “I’m pleased with Axia and Bell’s commitment to
this new schedule that over the next few months will deliver a remarkable network with countless
benefits to Alberta’s citizens and businesses.”
In this stage, Axia will oversee the connection of customers to the Alberta SuperNet
and ensure the quality assurance of the rural portion of the network. Bell is completing the
build of its network in the Base communities and will provide services to Axia so that
customers in major cities and towns in the province are connected to the Alberta SuperNet.
Axia and Bell have entered into agreements that will ensure the rapid completion of the Alberta
SuperNet. Axia Chairman and CEO Art Price said, “The numerous approaches to Axia from
governments around the world is evidence that Alberta is the leader in harnessing the
private sector to ensure rural communities have competitive access to this critical new
economy infrastructure.”
“Bell is excited to be playing a key role in bringing the Government
of Alberta’s innovative Alberta SuperNet vision to life,” said Stephen Wetmore,
Group President – National Markets, Bell Canada. “Bell is proud to deliver an IP network
that is unmatched in North America to the Alberta Government, the people of Alberta
and the Alberta business community.”
The Alberta SuperNet is an unprecedented initiative to make affordable, high speed
broadband connectivity available to all libraries, schools, hospitals and provincial government
offices throughout the province. The network is comprised of a Base Area which links the
province’s 27 largest communities and an Extended Area which includes over 400 smaller
communities across the province.

About the Alberta SuperNet

The Alberta SuperNet is a Real Broadband network linking approximately 4,200 government,
health, library and education facilities in 429 communities province-wide at affordable and
sustainable costs to the Government of Alberta. Additionally, the Alberta SuperNet creates
a competitive market for the delivery of broadband services by private Internet service
providers throughout the province to rural retail customers.

About Axia

Axia has a ten-year contract with the Government of Alberta to provide access and
network management services for the Alberta SuperNet. Axia is a leading designer,
provisioner and operator of Real Broadband networks to government and enterprise
customers in Canada and other parts of the world. As an “operator of operators”,
Axia provides Real Broadband guaranteed connectivity using a unique business
model that levels the playing field for both urban and rural customers in a
geographic region. Axia’s high-end e-learning applications connect people with
the tools and information they need to perform more effectively. Axia trades
on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “AXX”. For more information,
visit its Web site at www.axia.com.

About Bell Canada

Bell Canada, Canada's national leader in communications, provides connectivity
to residential and business customers through wired and wireless voice and data
communications, local a nd long distance phone services, high speed and
wireless Internet access, IP-broadband services, e-business solutions and
satellite television services. Bell Canada is wholly owned by BCE Inc.
For more information please visit www.bell.ca.

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Media enquiries may be directed to:

Lorelei Fiset-Cassidy
Director, Communications
Alberta Restructuring and Government Efficiency
(780) 644-7652
Dial 310-0000 for toll free access
www.efficiency.gov.ab.ca

Dawn Tinling
VP, Communications and Human Resources
Axia NetMedia Corporation
(403) 538-4074
dawn.tinling@axia.com
www.axia.com

Gina Gottenberg
Bell Canada Media Relations
(403) 410-4221
gina.gottenberg@bell.ca
www.bell.ca