Canada’s Telus intends to invest CA$250 million (US$249 million) in Quebec in 2010 as part of its plans to expand its advanced fixed and mobile broadband services.  Since 2000, Telus has made more than CA$7.6 billion in operating and capital investments in Quebec. Telus' new HSPA+ wireless network enables speeds of up to 21 Mbps and reaches 93% of Canada's population.

TELUS today announced it is investing $250 million in Quebec in 2010 as it continues extending the reach and speed of its advanced wireline and wireless broadband services to more communities in Quebec.

“Since 2000, TELUS has made more than $7.6 billion in operating and capital investments in Quebec,” said François Côté, executive vice-president and president of TELUS Québec and TELUS Health Solutions. “By implementing fibre optic broadband networks, TELUS shows a massive commitment to the province and is providing Quebec communities with residential or business services leveraging some of the world's best telecommunications technologies."

Mr. Côté added, “TELUS' significant and ongoing investment in technology is also delivering advances in priority areas such as health care and the environment. TELUS is contributing to improved patient outcomes and efficiency in the health care sector with new technologies such as electronic health records and TeleHealth that help shift the focus from remediation to prevention of disease. We are also helping our clients reduce their impact on the environment by providing the latest telecommuting, conferencing and data management solutions enabling the movement of ideas and information instead of people, vehicles and paper.”

In 2010, TELUS is continuing to invest heavily in its broadband infrastructures to deliver a wide range of advanced Internet and data services. Launched recently in Western Canada, one of TELUS' innovative new services is an enhanced version of high definition TELUS TV  powered by Microsoft Mediaroom, an advanced IP technology renowned around the world.

TELUS will also continue to expand its wireless broadband network throughout the province, building on the November 2009 launch of the fastest and biggest wireless network in Quebec and Canada* (http://www.telusmobility.com/en/QC/network/about.shtml).

“TELUS' new wireless network enables speeds of up to 21 Mbps† and reaches 93 per cent of Canada's population, including clients in Quebec from Gatineau to Gaspé, Rimouski to Havre-Saint-Pierre,” said Mr. Côté. “Having one of the world's most advanced wireless networks gives our clients in Quebec the choice of iconic devices such as the iPhone, BlackBerry devices, Android-powered smartphones, and our high speed wireless internet keys.”

Mr. Bernard Lamarre, chairman of the TELUS Montreal Community Board, added TELUS' commitment to Quebec communities extends beyond infrastructure and new services.

“In just 10 years, from 2000 to the end of 2010, TELUS, our team members and retirees will have contributed $22 million and 180,000 volunteer hours to charitable and community organizations in Quebec. Building on our heartfelt tradition of community giving, TELUS has supported more than 340 Quebec charitable and non-profit organizations, including Le Phare - Enfants et Familles, the Fondation de l'Université du Québec a Rimouski Inc., the Montreal Children's Hospital Foundation, the Association des Soins Palliatifs de l'Est du Québec, Centraide du Grand Montréal, Opération Enfant Soleil, and the Association du Cancer de l'Est du Quebec.”

TELUS was recently recognized by the Association of Fundraising Professionals as the 2010 Most Outstanding Philanthropic Corporation globally, the first time a Canadian company has ever received this international honour.
The capital investment disclosed in this release is consistent with TELUS' overall capital expenditure guidance for 2010.
*Comparing HSPA/HSPA+ national networks: “fastest” according to tests of data throughput speeds in large Canadian urban centres and “biggest” based on population covered. † Based on manufacturers' rated download speed of up to 21 Megabits per second. Compatible device required. Actual speed may vary by device being used, topography and environmental conditions, network congestion, signal strength, and other factors.

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T, T.A; NYSE: TU) is a leading national telecommunications company in Canada, with $9.6 billion of annual revenue and 12 million customer connections including 6.5 million wireless subscribers, 4 million wireline network access lines and 1.2 million Internet subscribers and 170,000 TELUS TV customers. Led since 2000 by President and CEO, Darren Entwistle, TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services including data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, entertainment and video.

In support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed $158 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered more than 3 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. Nine 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 ever to receive this prestigious international recognition.