New CEO brings experience in competitive telecommunications market

Winnipeg, December 7, 2005 – Tom Stefanson, Chairman of the Board of Manitoba Telecom Services Inc., today announced that Pierre Blouin has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of MTS Allstream which includes Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. and MTS Allstream Inc.  Mr. Blouin’s appointment is effective today; he succeeds Bill Fraser, who announced his intention to retire in September.  

“The Board of Directors is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Blouin, following a comprehensive North America-wide search, to lead MTS Allstream in the next phase of its evolution,” said Mr. Stefanson. “Mr. Blouin, who is 47, is ideally suited to this position, and brings a tremendous amount of experience in the competitive telecommunications market. MTS Allstream looks forward to being able to leverage that experience, and knows he will continue MTS’s proven track record of delivering excellent value to our shareholders and customers.”

“I am extremely excited to be joining the outstanding team at MTS Allstream,” said Mr. Blouin. “This company is known both nation-wide and outside Canada for its ability to focus on its core competencies and markets, and to deliver. I look forward to using my two decades of experience in the telecommunications industry to lead the company through its next phase as a national communications provider.”

Mr. Blouin has a thorough understanding of the competitive telecommunications market, having spent over 20 years at BCE Inc., most recently as Group President, Consumer Markets for Bell Canada, where he was responsible for all of Bell’s consumer products –nearly $10 billion in business annually - including wireless, Internet, television, residential telephony and retail operations.  He was also Chief Executive Officer of BCE Emergis Inc., and Chief Executive Officer of Bell Mobility.

Mr. Blouin went on to say that MTS Allstream is widely-respected in this country’s telecommunications industry – both by the players and those who judge the players – because of the excellent performance it has been able to deliver during challenging times.  “I look forward to carrying on that fine tradition,” he said.

Mr. Blouin, who currently resides in Montreal, is looking forward to joining the Winnipeg community.

“I would also like to take this opportunity to publicly recognize and thank Bill Fraser for the outstanding job he has done in steering MTS through the most dramatic changes in its almost century-long history,” said Mr. Stefanson. “On behalf of the company’s Board, employees, its customers and its shareholders, I would like to thank Bill for his distinguished service to MTS, and wish him all the best in his retirement.”      

MTS is one of Canada’s leading communications providers, with more than 6,600 dedicated employees focused on delivering outstanding value. Seamlessly blending innovative solutions and world-class technology, we connect our customers to the world. We serve residential and business customers in the province of Manitoba with a full suite of wireline voice, data, wireless, and MTS TV services. Through Allstream, we provide national business customers with a world-class portfolio of connectivity, managed, and professional services. Our extensive national broadband fibre optic network spans more than 24,300 kilometres, and provides international connections through strategic partnerships and interconnection agreements with other international service providers. Our Common Shares are listed on The Toronto Stock Exchange (trading symbol: MBT). Visit MTS’s Web site at www.mts.ca.

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