This news release contains forward-looking statements. For a description of
the related risk factors and assumptions please see the sections, for BCE and 
Aliant, entitled "Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements" 
later in this release.

    SAINT JOHN, (NB) and MONTREAL, (QC), June 28 2006 -- 
BCE Inc.
(TSX, NYSE: BCE) and Aliant Inc. (TSX: AIT) announced today that the Aliant
Plan of Arrangement for the creation of the new Bell Aliant Regional
Communications Income Fund (Bell Aliant) is expected to be completed on
July 7, 2006.
    BCE also announced that the anticipated effective date of its Plan of
Arrangement is July 10, 2006, which will be the record date of the
distribution by BCE of units of Bell Aliant (Units) and the consolidation of
BCE's outstanding common shares.
    The new income trust will combine Aliant's wireline operation in Atlantic
Canada and Bell Canada's wireline operation in its regional territories inOntario and Quebec as well as its indirect 63.4 per cent interest in
Bell Nordiq. Bell Aliant will be one of North America's largest regional
telecommunications service providers with over 3.4 million local access lines
and over 400,000 high-speed Internet subscribers in six provinces.
    The BCE Plan of Arrangement provides for (i) the distribution, as a
return of capital to the BCE common shareholders of record at 5:01 p.m. on
July 10, 2006 of 0.0725 Units for each BCE common share, and (ii) the
consolidation of the BCE common shares at a ratio of 0.915 consolidated common
shares for each BCE common share. The BCE Arrangement received final approval
from the Superior Court of Québec on June 22, 2006.
    Subject to the terms of the Aliant Plan of Arrangement, Aliant common
shares held by the public are expected to be exchanged for Units following the
close of business on July 7, 2006. Consequently, these Units are expected to
begin trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) on July 10, 2006 with the
trading symbol "BA.UN".
    In anticipation of this, BCE common shares are expected to trade on an ex-
distribution basis on the TSX on market opening on July 6, 2006, subject to
the articles of arrangement of Aliant Inc., being filed on or before July 5,
2006.
    The closing of both the Aliant Plan of Arrangement and the BCE Plan of
Arrangement are subject to the satisfaction or waiver of their respective
closing conditions.

    About BCE Inc.

    BCE is Canada's largest communications company. Through its 28 million
customer connections, BCE provides the most comprehensive and innovative suite
of communication services to residential and business customers in Canada.
Under the Bell brand, the Company's services include local, long distance and
wireless phone services, high-speed and wireless Internet access, IP-broadband
services, information and communications technology services (or value-added
services) and direct-to-home satellite and VDSL television services. Other BCE
businesses include Canada's premier media company, Bell Globemedia, and
Telesat Canada, a pioneer and world leader in satellite operations and systems
management. BCE shares are listed in Canada, the United States and Europe.

    About Aliant

    Aliant serves customers across Atlantic Canada with innovative and
traditional communications services, including local and long distance
telephony, wireless, Internet, e-commerce, interactive multimedia, data and
managed network services. In addition to serving residential, small-to-medium
sized business and enterprise customers in its home market, Aliant also serves
business customers located in other parts of North America. Aliant complements
its industry-leading telecommunications business with strengths in information
technology solutions and knowledge-services applications. Aliant's
approximately 8,400 employees build on its 100-plus year history by
collaborating to deliver the highest quality of customer service, choice and
convenience. Aliant has a market capitalization of approximately $4.5 billion.

    BCE Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

    Certain statements made in this press release, including, but not limited
to, the expectation of the creation of Bell Aliant, the proposed distribution
of Units to BCE common shareholders, the proposed common share consolidation,
the anticipated ex-distribution date of trading for BCE common shares, the
expected closing date of the proposed transactions, the anticipated effective
date and record date of the BCE Plan of Arrangement, and other statements that
are not historical facts, are forward-looking statements and are subject to
important risks, uncertainties and assumptions. In particular, in making these
statements, BCE has assumed, among other things, that the proposed
transactions and subsequent distribution by BCE of Units and the common share
consolidation will receive the required regulatory and other approvals and
that the other conditions to the transactions, including the conditions to the
completion of the Aliant Plan of Arrangement, will be satisfied or waived in
accordance with their terms. The results or events predicted in these forward-
looking statements may differ materially from actual results or events. As a
result, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-
looking statements.
    For additional information with respect to certain of these and other
assumptions and risk factors, please refer to (i) BCE Inc.'s MD&A for the year
ended December 31, 2005 dated March 1, 2006 filed by BCE Inc. with the
Canadian securities commissions (available on BCE's website at www.bce.ca and
on SEDAR at www.sedar.com), and with the U.S. Securities and
Exchange
Commission under Form 40-F (available on EDGAR at www.sec.gov), as
updated in
BCE Inc.'s 2006 First Quarter MD&A dated May 2, 2006 which has also been filed
with these regulatory authorities and is available on the same website, and
(ii) the management proxy circular of BCE Inc. dated April 12, 2006 which has
also been filed with these regulatory authorities and is available on the same
website. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release
represent BCE's expectations as of June 28, 2006 and, accordingly, are subject
to change after such date. However, BCE disclaims any intention and assumes no
obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise.

    This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or a
solicitation of an offer to buy, Units. The Units have not been and will not
be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933 and may not be offered or
sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from
the registration requirement of such Act.

    Aliant Caution Concerning Forward-Looking Statements

    This news release contains forward-looking statements concerning
anticipated future events, results, circumstances or expectations. These
statements are based on management's beliefs regarding future events, many of
which, by their nature are inherently uncertain and beyond management's
control. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and are
subject to numerous risks and uncertainties which are difficult to predict and
assumptions which may prove to be inaccurate. One such uncertainty that could
cause results or events to differ materially from current expectations is the
ability to complete the proposed income trust arrangement and integrate the
separate components of the combined business and complete the announced
intentions to redeem existing debt of Aliant Telecom Inc. Please refer to
Aliant's Management Information Circular dated April 14, 2006 (Forward-Looking
Information on page 39) for a discussion of the key assumptions and risk
factors relating to the proposed income trust arrangement. Readers should not
place undue reliance on any forward-looking statements.



For further information: media inquiries, please contact: Pierre
Leclerc, BCE, Media Relations, (514) 391-2007, 1-877-391-2007,
pierre.leclerc@bell.ca; 
Kelly Gallant, Aliant, Media
Relations, (902) 487-4642, kelly.gallant@aliant.ca; Ian
Chadsey, Aliant,
Investor Relations, (506) 647-9597, ian.chadsey@aliant.ca