Full suite of information, communications and entertainment
    services on a single platform

    TORONTO, May 18 /CNW/ - Bell Canada and Menkes Developments, one of
Canada's premiere builders of high-rise residential condominium projects,
today announced a joint initiative that will see Menkes residential projects
wired with the latest in Bell technology, known as Very high rate Digital
Subscriber Line (VDSL). Subject to regulatory approvals, this technology will
deliver over Bell's existing copper wire a full range of digital TV channels
from Bell ExpressVu including Pay per View, high speed Bell Sympatico Internet
service, on-screen caller messaging and telephony services from Bell, across a
26 Megabit per second connection to a single gateway device in each
condominium apartment. Bell and Menkes will initially launch this new service
at three Toronto projects on Yonge Street: Empress Walk, Spectrum and Chicago.
    "In Ontario and Quebec, approximately 35% of the population live in
buildings taller than four floors," said Paul Nielsen, Vice President, Bell
Advanced Property Solutions. "VDSL offers an attractive alternative technology
to deliver digital TV services to multi-dwelling units (MDUs). Bell's VDSL
solution will bring change rapidly to Menkes projects since no special wiring
to a building's existing infrastructure is required to deliver a full suite of
information, communication and entertainment services."
    With Bell's VDSL service, the apartment or condominium resident will be
able to view three digital TV channels simultaneously on any number of
televisions and, at the same time, access high speed Internet on a PC and
enjoy full telephony services. The service will include an interactive
electronic programming guide with parental controls and program reminders. The
service will also enable a caller ID feature on the TV screen, allowing the
resident the choice of answering the phone or continuing their TV viewing.
    "Menkes Developments prides itself on our firm commitment to perfecting
condominium living and creating homes of enduring value," said Andrew Hoffman,
Vice President-Operations, Menkes Developments. "Today's announcement is
another hallmark in Menkes' 45-year history of delivering quality and value in
every detail of our residential projects. We are now offering leading edge
information, communications and entertainment services from Bell, a technology
leader whose reputation is unsurpassed in the market."
    Bell has conducted a technology trial involving 100 participants that has
proven to be very successful both in terms of technology performance and
customer satisfaction. The VDSL solution has been tested using VDSL technology
and Residential Gateway set top boxes from Next Level Communications Inc. and
head end equipment from PixStream Inc.
    "With this VDSL solution, Bell is building on the BCE family of services
to be well positioned to offer our residential and business customers an
integrated solution with a choice of services and features," said Nielsen.
"Higher speed access is a critical part of our Internet strategy that is based
on connectivity, commerce and content."

    Bell is the national leader for communications in the world of the
Internet:

    - leading Canadian Internet service provider with over 800,000
      Sympatico(TM) customers nationally;
    - host of the most visited Canadian portal, Sympatico, with more than 2.8
      million unique visitors each month;
    - carrier of the vast majority of Canada's Internet traffic on its
      IP/Broadband network;
    - North American leader in wireless access to Internet through Bell
      Mobility's Mobile Browser(TM) and Digital DATA to Go(TM);
    - provider of Internet service via Bell ExpressVu's DTH system, DirecPC
      Satellite Edition;
    - partner with leading companies such as Lycos.

    Menkes Developments (www.menkes.com) is a fully integrated development
company involved in the construction, property ownership and management of
office, industrial and residential projects. The Company is one of the largest
private Canadian developers of residential condominium projects and has
developed in excess of 6,000 condominium apartments in the Greater Toronto
Area. Menkes Developments is also very active in the industrial and office
marketplace developing and managing a commercial portfolio of in excess of
8,000,000 square feet.
    Launched in September 1997, Bell ExpressVu (www.expressvu.com) has become
the largest and fastest growing direct-to-home (DTH) television company in
Canada and the fifth largest broadcast distributor in the country with more
than 500,000 subscribers. Bell ExpressVu is a limited partnership, wholly
owned by BCE Inc. and part of the BCE Media group of companies.
    Bell Canada (www.bell.ca) provides a full range of communications
services, including wired and wireless local and long-distance telephone
services, Internet access, high-speed data services and directories. Bell
Canada, its telecom partners and subsidiaries provide services through 13.6
million access lines, including 11 million in Québec and Ontario. Bell Canada
also provides wireless service to more than 2.5 million customers through Bell
Mobility. Bell Canada is 80 per cent owned by BCE Inc. of Montréal and 20 per
cent owned by SBC Communications Inc. of San Antonio, Texas. Our e-mail
address is forum@bell.ca.

    Mobile Browser & Digital Data are Bell Mobility trade marks. Sympatico is
a MediaLinx Interactive, Limited Partnership trade mark.



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For further information: Irene Shimoda, Bell Canada Media Relations
1 888 482-0809, (416) 581-3311, irene.shimoda@bell.ca; Marie-Eve Savard,
Bell Canada Media Relations, 1 877 391-2007, (514) 391-2007,
marie-eve.savard@bell.ca; Andrew Hoffman, Vice-President-Operations, 
Menkes Developments (416) 491-2222; Alan Menkes, President, Menkes 
Developments (416) 491-2222