Montréal, May 25, 2005 – After the enthusiastic response to its new telephone service via cable on Montréal's South Shore and Laval, Vidéotron is continuing the roll-out of the new service on the West Island, where it will be available as of May 30.
West Island residents who subscribe to the new service will enjoy substantial discounts on their phone bill, especially if they are already Vidéotron customers. They will also be able to obtain residential telephone service, cable television and Internet from a single provider and enjoy the advantages of one-stop shopping at Vidéotron: one call to customer service, one technician, one bill for all their services.
Vidéotron cable telephone service is being rolled out in a dozen West Island municipalities and boroughs: Kirkland, Dorval, Pointe-Claire, Beaconsfield, Baie d'Urfé, Senneville, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Roxboro, Dollard-des-Ormeaux, Île-Bizard, Sainte-Geneviève and Pierrefonds. It will also be available in parts of Ville Saint-Laurent, Île-Perrot, Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot, Pincourt and Terrasse-Vaudreuil.
The interest in cable telephone service has exceeded our expectations, said Robert Dépatie, President and Chief Executive Officer of Vidéotron. We are receiving many positive comments from customers on the quality of our product. The message from the market is clear: large numbers of consumers were eagerly awaiting a reliable alternative to conventional telephone service.
Subscribing is as easy as 1-2-3
Subscribing to Vidéotron's residential telephone service couldn't be easier: customers can keep their existing telephone number, equipment and access to most of the services they are accustomed to, such as call display, voice mail, call waiting, assistance (0, 411, 911, 611), long distance and calling cards.
A great offer: service starting at $15.95 per month, with free installation
Vidéotron's new residential telephone service delivers significant cost savings. For most customers who already subscribe to two Vidéotron services (classic cable, digital cable or cable Internet access), a basic residential line starts at just $15.95 per month and installation is free of charge.
Subscribers will be able to add services such as call display, voice mail and call waiting for $4 per month for the first option and $2 per month for each additional option.
Unlimited long distance calling within Quebec is available starting at $4.95 per month for most customers who already subscribe to another Vidéotron service. Other attractive long-distance plans tailored to different consumer needs are also available.
Free long-distance calls between Vidéotron subscribers
Long-distance calls between subscribers to Vidéotron's telephone service are free – an exclusive service supported by the infinite power of cable. A subscriber to Vidéotron telephone service in West Isalnd can therefore call a Vidéotron telephone subscriber on the South Shore and/or Laval (or elsewhere in Québec, once cable telephone service is available in other parts of Vidéotron's service area) toll free.
Reliable network, high-calibre services
Vidéotron's fibre-optic-based network architecture can carry immense quantities of information in different media to residential customers. The broadband network already delivers digital television, high-speed Internet and video on demand over a single coax cable. Now, cable telephone service is being added to the digital services available to Vidéotron customers.
Unlike companies that offer VoIP service over the public Internet network, Vidéotron uses its private network to provide telephone service.
Vidéotron ltée (www.videotron.com), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Quebecor Media Inc., is an integrated communications company engaged in cable television, interactive multimedia development, Internet access services and residential telephone service. Vidéotron is a leader in new technologies with its illico interactive television system and its broadband network, which supports high-speed cable Internet access, analog and digital cable television, and other services. Vidéotron serves 1,455,000 cable television customers in Québec; including over 356,000 illico subscribers. Vidéotron is also the Québec leader in high-speed Internet access, with 554,000 subscribers to its cable modem and dial-up services. As well, Vidéotron provides residential telephone service to more than 23,000 customers in South Shore Montréal and Laval.
