January 25, 2012

Bell Aliant FibreOP First to Bring Facebook to Atlantic Canadians TVs

Jan 25, 2012

Future-proof FibreOP network is making 'social TV' a reality and is delivering the best TV experience

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HALIFAX, Jan. 25, 2012 /CNW/ - Bell Aliant Inc. (TSX: BA) is bringing the world's most popular social networking tool into customers' living rooms with its new Facebook application for FibreOP™ TV.

FibreOP TV customers can now watch their favourite TV shows while viewing their Facebook news feeds, rate and comment on the TV show that they are watching and view Facebook photo albums. The free Facebook app is available today to FibreOP TV customers.

"Facebook has become a part of Canadians' lives. We are excited to bring it directly to the largest screen in the home - giving our customers a truly interactive and social TV experience," says Andre LeBlanc, Vice President Residential Product, Bell Aliant. "Our future-proof FibreOP network was built to allow us to innovate and develop new services that will meet the communication needs of our customers today and tomorrow. Social trends are shaping where and how consumers want to connect, and Bell Aliant is responding."

There are more than 800 million active Facebook users around the world and 87.5 per cent of Internet users in Atlantic Canada are on Facebook. This is higher than the national average of 83.3 percent*. Social media is changing the way television is made, watched, and broadcast, and the rise of social TV is expected to increase in 2012.

"Social TV is going to continue to grow as broadcasters and content providers find new ways to engage with their audience," says Dr. Anatoliy Gruzd, Assistant Professor, School of Information Management and Social Media Lab, Dalhousie University. "TV technology and social media are merging; according to a survey by Ovum, about 74 per cent of TV viewers with broadband use the Internet at the same time and 38 per cent discuss TV shows while using social media. In the future, this trend will likely accelerate as social TV technology becomes more ubiquitous and easier to use."

Atlantic Canadians will be able to access six of the most popular Facebook features on their FibreOP TV including:

Viewing news feeds on their wall;
Viewing profile details including names, profile pictures and status messages;
Posting status messages and notes to their walls;
Rating the TV show they're currently watching;
Viewing photo albums in both a thumbnail view and full screen slideshow;
Viewing friends' profiles, photos and wall updates.

To access the Facebook app on FibreOP TV customers need an active Facebook account and a Bell Aliant Internet connection. Customers can press Menu, go to Apps and press Facebook to launch the app on their TV. A step-by-step guide on how to set up and use the new app is available at www.bellaliant.net/facebookonyourtv. The app supports up to 10 unique Facebook accounts per household.

Bell Aliant's future-proof FibreOP is the only 100 per cent fibre optic network that connects straight to customers' homes so everything works faster, easier and better. FibreOP is number one in customer satisfaction because it delivers the fastest Internet, video sharing and the ultimate high-definition TV experience.

FibreOP TV is the ultimate TV experience allowing customers to watch, record and pause live TV from any room in their house with our best Whole Home PVR. The new TV product also includes superior Whole Home HD, the Ultimate Video-on-Demand - with the most HD movies and the most popular TV shows in HD, and the Next Generation Interactive Guide, with easy-to-use features like picture-in-picture browsing and advanced search capability.

With our FibreOPInternet product,customers have the best Internet experience: they can upload as fast as they download - a first in Canada for any major service provider. FibreOP Internet can deliver the fastest speeds with up to 170 Mbps download and 30 Mbps upload services. These speeds enable customers not only to download music or movies and share video or photos faster than ever before, but also to accommodate the growing need for multiple users within the home. In addition, with our 30 Mbps download and 30 Mbps upload product, FibreOP Internet customers can upload as fast as they download - a first in Canada for any major service provider.

Bell Aliant was the first company in Canada to cover an entire city with fibre-to-the-home. By the end of 2012, the company will have invested almost half a billion dollars to extend FTTH to more than 600,000 homes and businesses in the areas we serve. Customers can find out more about the new Facebook app on FibreOP TV by visiting www.bellaliant.net/FibreOP or calling 1-866-FIBREOP (1-866-342-7367).

*Source: comScore MediaMetrix November 2011

About Bell Aliant
Bell Aliant is one of North America's largest regional communications providers and the first company in Canada to cover an entire city with fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) technology with its FibreOP services. Through its operating entities it serves customers in six Canadian provinces with innovative information, communication and technology services including voice, data, Internet, video and value-added business solutions. Bell Aliant's employees deliver the highest quality of customer service, choice and convenience.

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Video with caption: "Learn about: Bell Aliant's new Facebook application for FibreOP™ TV ". Video available at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6UkfhEBx5g

Image with caption: "Andre LeBlanc, Vice President Residential Product, Bell Aliant shows the new Facebook App on FibreOP TV to Mark MacMurtry and Anthony Murphy, Bell Aliant employees (CNW Group/BELL ALIANT INC.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120125_C6554_PHOTO_EN_9151.jpg

Image with caption: "Andre LeBlanc, Vice President Residential Product, Bell Aliant shows the new Facebook App on FibreOP TV to Mark MacMurtry (CNW Group/BELL ALIANT INC.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20120125_C6554_PHOTO_EN_9153.jpg