TELUS to invest $2.8 billion across B.C. through 2016

Commitment includes investment to build infrastructure,
increase urban & rural Internet connectivity and capacity,
and bring the world’s fastest wireless technology to more communities across B.C.

TELUS will invest $2.8 billion in new infrastructure and facilities across B.C. through 2016, the company announced today ahead of its annual general meeting in Vancouver later this week. TELUS will spend $1.2 billion across the province in 2014, the final year of a three-year plan unveiled in 2012, and today committed to spend another $1.6 billion in 2015 and 2016 to build infrastructure, expand urban & rural Internet connectivity and capacity, and bring the world’s fastest wireless technology to more B.C. communities.

“TELUS is proud to invest $2.8 billion in leading-edge broadband technologies through 2016 to ensure British Columbia continues to be one of the most connected places anywhere in the world,” said Darren Entwistle, TELUS President and CEO.

“By the end of 2016, TELUS’ investment in operations, infrastructure and technology across B.C. since 2000 will exceed $40 billion,” Mr. Entwistle added. “Notably, the subject of tax morality has become a hot topic in the governance of corporations around the world. Importantly in this regard, since 2000 TELUS has remitted income, payroll, property, sales and other taxes totalling more than $3.2 billion to provincial and municipal governments in B.C. alone, thereby helping to support critical social services for citizens in communities across the province.

“TELUS’ investment in communities extends well beyond infrastructure, tax remittances and providing customers with world-class technology,” continued Mr. Entwistle. “We recognize that investing in local organizations through donations and volunteering is equally as important as investing in technology and infrastructure. Since 2000, TELUS and our 20,000 employees and retirees here in B.C. have donated over $110 million and volunteered 2.9 million hours to community and charitable organizations in our neighbourhoods across the province.”

This year, TELUS’ infrastructure and technology investments will advance services for the benefit of British Columbians by:

• Meeting the increasing demand for wireless data by rapidly deploying 700MHz spectrum for use in rural and urban areas, enhancing the already world-leading speed, coverage and reliability TELUS customers experience. This also includes installing dozens of new wireless sites along remote highways, enhancing the safety of travel across the province;
• Connecting thousands of homes and businesses in various communities with
  higher-capacity Internet and Optik TV solutions;
• Expanding the reach of TELUS’ healthcare solutions, which currently provide electronic medical records to more than 12,500 Canadian physicians across the country and support more than 45 million patient interactions each year; and
• Completing construction on the environmentally and technologically-advanced
  TELUS Garden office tower in downtown Vancouver.

Mr. Entwistle concluded, “TELUS’ continued investment has fuelled the unparalleled success of our Optik TV, high-speed Internet and business services, as well as the ongoing advancement of our world-leadingLTE wireless network that now extends to more than 90 per cent of British Columbians. As a result, we are bridging the digital divide by offering citizens greater access to telehealth, virtual classrooms and small business solutions in even the most remote corners of the province.”

The capital investment disclosed in this release is consistent with TELUS’ overall capital expenditure guidance for 2014, issued on February 13, 2014.[signoff predefined=”Enjoy this?” icon=”icon-users”][/signoff]