Montréal, December 8, 2010 – After Montréal, Québec City and its corridors, Mauricie, Sherbrooke and Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Videotron's advanced mobile communication service is being launched in the Laurentians, Bois-Francs, Drummondville and Côte-de-Beaupré areas. Videotron 3G+ service will give consumers and business people in those regions access to the latest technology at last and deliver the best value for the money.
Following up on the resounding success of the initial launch of our advanced mobile service, we are pleased to continue the roll-out of our network to new markets, said Robert Dépatie, President & CEO of Videotron. Our eagerly anticipated network launch in those regions will bring their residents the best in mobile services.
KEY BENEFITS
The fastest network
Unlimited free local and long-distance calling between millions of Videotron customers across Québec
Four handsets offered in Québec for the first time, including the groundbreaking Google Nexus One
High-speed mobile Internet at speeds of up to 21 mbps
illico mobile, featuring the largest selection of Québec content and exceptional video quality
Videotron's unique 30-day money-back guarantee
The best plans in Québec
OFFERINGS
Infinity at the best price
Videotron is offering simple, economical mobile communication services with a full range of residential and Business plans. For example, the Infinite Québec plan includes unlimited local and long-distance calling anywhere in Québec regardless of the other party's telephone carrier, starting at $49.95 per month. For only $6.00 per month more, customers can add unlimited messaging anywhere in Québec.
Free local and long-distance calls between residential, Business and mobile customers
All plans include free unlimited local and long-distance calling between residential and Business customers with mobile or cable telephone services from Videotron.
Our 3G+ service reflects our mission of delivering the best possible customer experience and one-stop shopping to simplify consumers' lives, said Robert Dépatie. Our offerings are highly advantageous, especially for customers who choose our service bundles.
Attractive options
Videotron is also offering some of the industry's most attractive call management and messaging options, an important consideration for mobile phone users, who typically add options to their plans. For example, customers will be able to send up to 500 messages (counting SMS, MMS and emails) using Videotron's mobile email app for just $5.00, 2,500 messages for $10.00 and unlimited messages for $15.00. Customers can also add up to three options – voicemail, call display and voice messages by email – for $4 per month for the first, $2 for the second, or all three for $7.
We asked our customers about their needs when it comes to mobile service, said Robert Dépatie. We listened to them and we got the message. So we are offering them new, easy-to-understand plans that deliver more and suit every need.
The fastest high-speed mobile Internet access
Videotron's mobile Internet key supports data transfer speeds of up to 21 mbps over Videotron's 3G+ network, the fastest network around according to studies conducted at the time of the launch in September 2010. The network will eventually rev up to lightning-fast mobile speeds of up to 42 mbps, thanks to Dual-Carrier HSPA+ technology.
DEVICES
Something for everyone: 16 handsets, including 4 Québec firsts
Videotron has also lined up a selection of best-in-class 3G handsets for every taste. All support access to illico mobile and remote programming of Videotron Digital TV subscribers' personal video recorders.* Customers will be able to choose among the most advanced mobile handsets on the market, including the Google Nexus One (HTC), loaded with the Android 2.2 Froyo operating system; the Nuvifone A50, the first Garmin phone in Canada with free traffic info and alerts included for three years; the Motorola XT720; and the entry-level Huawei U3200.
Videotron is also the only industry player to offer a 30-day satisfaction or money back guarantee.
CONTENT
Largest selection of French-language and Québec content
Customers will enjoy one of the richest selections of mobile content in Canada, particularly for French-language and Québec content. After launching illico web in June 2010, Videotron is now also offering illico mobile, giving customers ready access to the largest catalogue of television programs and series on the market consisting of nearly 2,000 free and paid titles, more than 30 television channels, 18 of them live, and 45 Galaxie music channels. "Our new mobile service will quickly become a major platform for the dissemination and promotion of Québec culture, said Pierre Karl Péladeau, President & CEO of Quebecor Media. Videotron's mobile store carries nearly 30,000 items (music, ringtones, wallpapers, games, etc).
VIDEOTRON MOBILE COVERAGE
Videotron's new mobile network is up and running across Québec. Customers in the Laurentians, Centre du Québec, Mauricie, Sherbrooke, Montréal, Québec City and Montérégie areas can now sign up for service plans. Thanks to agreements with partners, network coverage extends to all parts of Québec and service is available in the rest of Canada and many other countries as well.
We want to offer our service to as many Quebecers as possible and we expect to be able to serve almost the entirety of our potential customer base by 2011, said Robert Dépatie. I urge people to find out about our service plans before renewing their agreement with their current carrier. They won't regret it!
Massive project
Robert Dépatie noted that designing and building out a new mobile communication network of this scale within such a tight time-frame was no mean feat: Today's announcement is the product of a $1 billion investment that has created over 1,000 jobs. I thank our people for all the effort they have devoted to this project. The result, the creation of a new 3G+ infrastructure in two years, attests to the expertise we have developed in multiplatform integration and the depth of our 40 years of experience in communications technology.
* where available.
For more information, please visit www.videotron.com
Videotron Ltd. (www.videotron.com), a wholly owned subsidiary of Quebecor Media Inc., is an integrated communications company engaged in cable television, interactive multimedia development, and Internet access, cable telephone and mobile telephone services. Videotron is a leader in new technologies with its interactive Digital TV service and its broadband network, which supports high-speed cable Internet access, analog and digital cable television, and other services. As of September 30, 2010, Videotron was serving 1,802,000 cable television customers, including 1,182,300 subscribers to its digital service. Videotron is also the Québec leader in high-speed Internet access, with 1,233,800 subscribers to its cable modem service as of September 30, 2010. As of the same date, Videotron had 95,400 subscriber connections on its mobile telephone service and was providing cable telephone service to 1,098,100 Québec households and organizations. For the fifth consecutive year, Videotron was named Québec's most respected telecommunications company by Les Affaires magazine, based on a Léger Marketing survey.
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