MORE LOCAL CALLING IMPROVEMENTS FOR SASKTEL CUSTOMERS

Released on April 16, 1998

Deputy Premier and Crown Investments Corporation Minister Dwain

Lingenfelter today announced the next phases of the SaskTel exchange

area program. In June, SaskTel will improve local calling options for

more than 50,000 rural residential and business customers, with the

elimination of 50 more rural telephone exchanges and the expansion of

36 other exchanges.



"When you combine today's announcement with the initial phase of the

program announced last fall, SaskTel will have reduced the total

number of exchanges in Saskatchewan by one third by the end of 1998,"

Lingenfelter said. "For more than 100,000 rural Saskatchewan families

and businesses, this means the value of their local telephone service

has increased substantially and long distance charges will be

reduced."



As announced in November 1997, SaskTel recently eliminated 52 rural

telephone exchanges and expanded 30 exchanges in the initial phase of

this program. As well, SaskTel has reduced long distance charges by

over 53 per cent since 1990.



SaskTel has identified 14 more rural exchange areas where improved

local calling options are necessary. However, more feedback is needed

from communities in these exchanges before a solution can be

determined. SaskTel plans to have solution for these exchanges before

the end of the year.



"We are making these improvements with the advice of our rural

customers who have taken the time to write, e-mail, phone, or

meet with us," said John Meldrum, SaskTel vice president and

chair of the Exchange Area Committee. "We also understand that

rural exchange consolidation may not necessarily meet our

customers' individual calling needs, particularly those of

customers living near Saskatchewan cities. To address these

need, SaskTel is developing an optional long distance calling

plan for short distance calls, for a reasonable monthly fee. We

anticipate this plan will be introduced in the early fall."



SaskTel is the leading full service communications company in

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

services over a fiber optic-based, fully digital network, as well

as cellular, paging and FleetNet 800 service through its SaskTel

Mobility division.



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For more information, contact:



Darcee MacFarlane

SaskTel Corporate Affairs

Regina

Phone: (306) 777-4441