HIGH SPEED INTERNET SERVICE EXPANDED FOR REGINA AND SASKATOON

Released on October 22, 1997

Deputy Premier and Crown Investments Corporation Minister Dwain

Lingenfelter, today announced SaskTel is expanding its Sympatico High

Speed service to business customers in Regina and Saskatoon.



"Since SaskTel began offering high-speed Internet service to

residential customers in Regina and Saskatoon last year, there has

been an increasing demand for this leading-edge technology from

business customers in these cities," Lingenfelter said. "By expanding

this service, SaskTel will meet this demand, and will also strengthen

its position in the forefront of the interactive and multimedia

service industry in Saskatchewan and outside our provincial borders."



In November, 1996, SaskTel became the first telephone company in

Canada to offer high-speed Internet service using DSL (digital

subscriber line) technology with the introduction of Sympatico High

Speed to Regina and Saskatoon. Sympatico High Speed offers high-speed

Internet access at up to 50 times faster than a regular 28.8 kbps

service. It also allows simultaneous phone conversations and Internet

use on one phone line.



"By offering this service to business customers, SaskTel will

build on its reputation as a leader in the competitive Internet

market," said Dan Baldwin, SaskTel vice president, Strategic

Business Development and Marketing. "Having high-speed Internet

technology available to both our residential and business

customers in Saskatchewan's two major cities is a top priority

for SaskTel.



"The computer and the Internet are becoming as important as the

telephone and the fax machine in today's high-paced business

world," said Bob Knock of Tricomp Systems Limited in Saskatoon.

"By SaskTel offering high-speed Internet technology to our

business, we'll have quicker access to current, global

information, therefore strengthening our presencein the local

business community. Our productivity will definitely increase."



Pricing for Sympatico High Speed will be $69.95 per month for

SaskTel customers, and $89.95 per month for customers who do not

subscribe to SaskTel long distance at the time they sign up for

this Internet service. A $99.00 service connection fee applies

and a one-year term agreement is required. SaskTel is currently

studying further Sympatico High Speed expansion plans for other

Saskatchewan centres.



SaskTel is the leading full service communications company in

Saskatchewan, providing voice, data, Internet, text and messaging

services over a fiber optic-based, 100 per cent digital network,

as well as cellular, paging and FleetNet 800 service through its

SaskTel Mobility division.



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For further information, contact:



Tim Kydd

Public Affairs Director

SaskTel

Regina

Phone: (306) 777-5638