MONTREAL, Feb. 29 /CNW/ - Bell Canada is introducing three new Bell
QuickChange(TM) cards today devoted to three hockey legends: former Montreal
Canadians greats Maurice ``Rocket'' Richard, Jean Béliveau and Guy Lafleur.
Painted by well-known Québec artist Bernard Pelletier, the cards will be
especially prized by collectors, because they will be numbered and issued in a
limited-edition run of 60,000 copies each. With a face value of $20, the
cards can be used in Bell public telephones.
    ``We are proud to issue new Bell QuickChange cards devoted to three
players who have written their names in the history books of both the Montreal
Canadians and the sport of hockey in general,'' said Normand Toupin, Director,
Communications, for Bell Canada.  ``Issuing these cards is a way for Bell to
pay a tangible tribute, in a virtual world, to the huge talent of these three
great athletes, and to acknowledge the importance of their role in the lives
of several generations of Québecers.''
    The new Bell QuickChange cards can be purchased individually or as a
collector's set featuring one card with the image of a legend and a fourth
card depicting the Richard- Béliveau-Lafleur group.  This limited-edition set,
presented in an attractive case, is available only at the Bell Collectors Club
at 230 St-Jacques Street, in Old Montréal.
    The individual Bell QuickChange cards bearing the images of the three
legends are available starting today at the following retail outlets: Bell
Collectors Club, Espace Bell, Jean Coutu pharmacies, CoucheTard convenience
stores, Métro-Richelieu grocery stores, Ultramar service stations, Subway
restaurants, Pharmaprix pharmacies, UCS (United Cigar Stores) tobacco stores
and at the Canadiens store at Molson Centre.
    The Bell QuickChange Group is taking advantage of the timing of today's
introduction of these new cards to announce a $25,000 donation from the sale
of the cards to the Association sportive et communautaire du Centre-Sud de
Montréal. The mission of this non-profit association is to serve and reach out
to youth in Montréal's south-central neighborhood through cultural, sports,
educational and community activities. The donation, which will added to
another Bell contribution of $25,000, will be used, among other things, to
purchase sports equipment and to set up a multimedia room to be called the
``Café Internet Bell''. The Café will be located in the new community and
sports centre, whose construction will be finished this fall.
    Bell QuickChange cards were introduced in 1994 and their popularity
has grown rapidly ever since among collectors as well as public-telephone
users. ``Smart cards'' like the Bell QuickChange card are used in more than
70 countries, and are now the second-most-popular item among collectors
around the world, behind stamps. In 2000, there are expected to be a billion
telephone smart cards produced for the global market.

    ABOUT BELL CANADA
    Bell Canada provides a full range of communications services to
customers, 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 Ontario and Québec. Bell
Canada also serves more than 2.3 million wireless customers through Bell
Mobility. Bell Canada is 80% owned by BCE Inc. of Montréal and 20% owned by
SBC Communications Inc. of San Antonio, Texas. Bell Canada's Web site is
located at http://www.bell.ca. News releases, speeches and background
information are in the Newsroom. Our e-mail address is forum@bell.ca.



-30-


For further information: Isabelle Tremblay, Bell Canada,
isabelle.a.tremblay@bell.ca, (514) 391-2007, 1-877-391-2007