TELUS comments on Industry Canada's spectrum auction and foreign ownership decisions

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Mar 15, 2012, 09:00 ET

OTTAWA, March 15, 2012 /PRNewswire/ - TELUS believes this is a thoughtful and balanced decision that meets the Government's objectives of promoting consumer choice, supporting sustainable competition through investment in technology and further expanding broadband services in rural markets.

"Radio spectrum is the building block of wireless broadband - essential to expanding access to education programmes, economic development opportunities, healthcare information and bridging the digital divide for rural communities," said Darren Entwistle, TELUS president and CEO. "The rules established by Minister Paradis will allow all competitors to have fair and reasonable access to the critical 700 MHz spectrum in the upcoming auction. Ultimately, the wireless services built upon this spectrum will provide businesses, educators, students, health professionals and families with the tools they need to build strong, healthy and sustainable communities."

TELUS looks forward to fully participating in both the 700 MHz and 2500 MHz auctions and is fully committed to meeting the conditions of licence associated with the deployment of service in urban and rural areas.

"TELUS is hopeful the changes to foreign ownership limits provided yesterday by the Government are a first step towards full liberalization of restrictions across the industry. We would encourage the Government to go beyond this initial step and work towards putting Canada's telecom industry on an equal footing with our global trading partners," added Entwistle.

About TELUS
TELUS (TSX: T, T.A; NYSE: TU) is a leading national telecommunications company in Canada, with $10.4 billion of annual revenue and 12.7 million customer connections including 7.3 million wireless subscribers, 3.6 million wireline network access lines and 1.3 million Internet subscribers and more than 500,000 TELUS TV customers. Led since 2000 by President and CEO, Darren Entwistle, TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services including wireless, data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, television, entertainment and video.

In support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed more than $260 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered 4.2 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. Eleven TELUS Community Boards across Canada lead TELUS' local philanthropic initiatives. TELUS was honoured to be named the most outstanding philanthropic corporation globally for 2010 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, becoming the first Canadian company to receive this prestigious international recognition.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com.

SOURCE TELUS Corporation