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To: engineer who wrote (21349)	1/15/1999 9:55:00 AM
From: straight life	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 152472

Bell Canada International(READ: Q) Wins Brazilian Telecom License MONTREAL, QUEBEC--Bell Canada International Inc. (''BCI'') announced today that its consortium has won the regional operating license to provide fixed telephone and value added services in the Northeast region of Brazil. The winning BCI consortium bid an amount of 60 million Reais (approximately Cdn$62 million) for the license and authorised spectrum which extends for a 20 year renewable term. The bid terms allow the consortium to pay for the license over a period of two years. The license is being issued as part of the Brazilian ''mirror auctions'' with the goal of introducing competition into the fixed telecommunications market in Brazil. The consortium brings together a unique combination of expertise in the areas of building and successfully managing telecommunications operations, advanced technology, international finance and local Brazilian experience. BCI owns a 34.4 percent interest in the consortium and is joined by WLL International Inc. (34.4 percent), Qualcomm Incorporated (Nasdaq:QCOM - news; 16.2 percent), the Liberman Group of Argentina (12.5 percent), and the Vicunha Group of Brazil (2.5 percent). The Northeast region is comprised of 16 states and is home to almost 90 million people, representing over half of Brazil's population. Major metropolitan areas covered by the license include Rio de Janeiro, Belo Horizonte and Salvador. The consortium plans to service the area primarily using fixed wireless technologies and expects to invest more than Cdn$1.5 billion in building its state-of-the art network. Derek Burney, Chairman and CEO of BCI, welcomed the news, stating, ''With a teledensity of less than 10 percent, the Northeast region of Brazil represents an extraordinary growth opportunity for BCI and its partners. BCI will take on the lead operating role in the venture. The consortium will thus benefit from our Mexican fixed wireless experience at Telinor and our Brazilian experience at Americel and Telet (cellular operations in other regions of Brazil), and Telem, BCI's private telephony subsidiary operating in the metropolitan areas of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.'' BCI is a leading provider of telecommunications services in markets outside of Canada. The corporation owns, develops and operates telecommunications systems with a focus on the wireless sector. A subsidiary of BCE Inc. [NYSE:BCE - news], Canada's largest telecommunications company, BCI is listed on the Montreal and Toronto stock exchanges under the symbol BI, and on the Nasdaq National Market under the symbol BCICF.