MONTREAL, Quebec, Dec. 18 2008 -- BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE) today
announced several changes to its Board of Directors that will become effective
at BCE's Annual General Meeting (AGM) of shareholders, scheduled for February
17, 2009 in Montréal.
    Richard J. Currie, Chair of the Board of Directors of BCE, has announced
he will not seek re-election as a Director. Three other Directors - Judith
Maxwell, John H. McArthur and Robert C. Pozen - have also announced that they
will not seek re-election. The Board also announced its intention to elect BCE
Director Thomas C. O'Neill as Chair of the Board, assuming he is re-elected as
a Director by shareholders at the February 17 AGM.
    "The fact that the transaction to sell the Company to an investor group
led by Teachers' Private Equity will not proceed is obviously a disappointment
for shareholders, including the tens of thousands of BCE employees and
retirees who have invested in the Company over many years," Mr. Currie said.
"However, the specific measures to create shareholder value announced last
Friday make this an opportune time for me to relinquish my board duties."
    Mr. Currie was elected Board chair in April, 2002. "The decision to bring
the Company back to its communications roots and divest itself of valuable but
non-core holdings was clearly the right strategy," he said. "Today, Bell
Canada has solid free cash flow and a strong balance sheet, including almost
$3 billion in cash at the end of the third quarter of 2008, and the ability to
make the kinds of network investments it needs to ensure its future growth and
profitability. Bell can internally fund the recently announced new investments
in both wireline and wireless networks. Including new Fibre to the Node (FTTN)
rollouts along with the enhancement of its IP backbone infrastructure and a
billion-dollar HSPA 3G wireless network in place nationally by early 2010, the
Company is now technologically well positioned.
    "Serving as the Chair of the Board of BCE during such a fascinating and
tumultuous time of change has been one of the great honours of my business
career. The Company has changed fundamentally since 2002 and is now well
launched for a prosperous future as a public company. That being done there is
no better time for me to step away."
    Mr. Currie also noted that Judith Maxwell, John McArthur and Bob Pozen
will be stepping down from the Board and not standing for re-election at the
AGM in February, thanking them for their service to BCE.
    "Judith Maxwell reverted from economics to her first degree in commerce
to make valuable contributions to the Audit Committee as it went through Sox
404 to enhance financial controls in the Company. John McArthur has been a
voice of reason and wisdom on the Board. He always displayed sound business
judgement, vision and courage. Bob Pozen brought an exceedingly sharp mind,
clear expression and vast financial experience to all Board and committee
discussions. It is impossible for me to thank Judy, John and Bob sufficiently
for everything they have done.
    "I want to thank all my fellow Board members, former Chief Executive
Officer Michael Sabia and current CEO George Cope, and all the employees of
BCE and Bell for their dedication, determination and support. It is because of
their efforts that Bell is positioned to succeed today and for many years to
come.
    "I also want to congratulate Tom O'Neill. He has been an outstanding
Director, Chair of our Audit Committee during trying times, and a member of
our Strategic Oversight Committee (SOC) during the transaction negotiating
period. The Board has chosen well. I have supreme confidence that with his
ability and standards, Tom will serve the Company and its shareholders in an
exemplary fashion," Mr. Currie said.
    Said Tom O'Neill: "As Chair of the Board for almost seven years, Dick
Currie has provided outstanding service to BCE's shareholders and consistently
strong leadership for our Board. He led us through a significant
transformation of the business and leaves a record of impressive progress and
achievement.
    "I am gratified to have the confidence of my colleagues as their choice
as Chair and excited to lead our Board as Bell continues its move forward as a
competitive and customer-focused organization under the leadership of our CEO
George Cope."
    A Director on the BCE board since January, 2003, Mr. O'Neill is also
Chair of the Audit Committee. He is a Director of Adecco S.A., The Bank of
Nova Scotia, Loblaw Companies Limited and Nexen Inc., and serves on the Board
of St. Michael's Hospital.
    Mr. O'Neill was Chief Executive Officer of PricewaterhouseCoopers
Consulting from January 2002 to May 2002 and Chair of the Board from May 2002
to October 2002. Prior, he was Chief Operating Officer of
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP from 2000 to January 2002, and Chief Executive
Officer of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP in Canada from 1998 to July 2000. In
2008, he was named a Fellow of the Institute of Corporate Directors.
    Details on nominees for election to the BCE Board will be included in the
BCE Management Proxy Circular and proxy form mailed to shareholders and filed
with Canadian and U.S. securities commissions the week of January 12, 2009.
For more information on the BCE Board of Directors, please visit www.bce.ca.

    About BCE

    BCE is Canada's largest communications company, providing 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. BCE also holds an
interest in CTVglobemedia, Canada's premier media company. BCE shares are
listed in Canada and the United States. For corporate information on BCE,
please visit www.bce.ca.



For further information: Media inquiries: Mark Langton, Bell Media
Relations, (416) 581-4339, mark.langton@bell.ca; Investor
inquiries: Thane
Fotopoulos, BCE Investor Relations, (514) 870-4619, thane.fotopoulos@bell.ca