Telus 2007 Annual Report Download - page 12

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subscribers. In 2007, the number of high-speed subscribers increased by approximately
11 per cent. TELUS has seen an increase in the use of data services such as business
Intranets by business customers and in the use of personal computer and Internet
access by residential customers. TELUS also offers a range of broadcast,
teleconferencing and advanced intelligent network services – services that can be
customized to meet the specific needs of individual customers through software changes
to network switches. These services include special number services such as toll free 1-
800 and 1-900 and enhanced call routing.
Through growth, investment and strategic acquisitions in prior years, TELUS also
became a leading managed data-hosting provider in Canada with a national network of
intelligent Internet data centres.
TELUS provides businesses with IT services such as IT outsourcing, application
development and sustainment, and national IT consulting. As a provider of Web hosting
services, TELUS also offers managed hosting, co-location including shared Web and e-
mail hosting services, media streaming, data storage and security services. In addition,
TELUS offers managed applications services and software such as online backup Web
conferencing, expense management, customer relationship management and sales
force automation. These services are available across Canada and can be enhanced by
connection with TELUS’ infrastructure through points of presence throughout Alberta
and B.C., and in Winnipeg, Regina, Saskatoon, and many cities in Ontario and Québec.
Recent developments – consumer
An important element of the Company’s wireline revenue growth strategy is the TELUS
Future Friendly Home initiative in its incumbent service areas. TELUS offers a suite of
integrated, advanced digital and wireless services that leverage its significant
investments in high-speed Internet. Two services, TELUS Home Networking and
TELUS HomeSitter, were launched in 2004. In 2007, TELUS continued the expansion
of its digital television service, TELUS TV®, in select neighbourhoods in Calgary,
Edmonton, and Vancouver. TELUS TV was also launched in Rimouski following
extensive employee trials. In 2007, TELUS continued enhancing its broadband
infrastructure under a three-year, $600 million program first announced in the fall of
2006. This investment is enabling emerging high-speed Internet services and expand
network coverage across British Columbia, Alberta and Eastern Québec. The broadband
project complements a rural capital investment program to bring high-speed Internet
services to more than 450 additional remote communities B.C., Alberta and Eastern
Québec by 2010. (See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis – Risks and Risk
Management – Section 10.3 Regulatory” in TELUS’ 2007 Annual Report – Financial
Review).
The Company continued its transformational billing initiative to re-engineer processes in
the wireline segment for order entry, pre-qualification, service fulfillment and assurance,
customer care, billing, collections/credit, customer contract and information
management. In 2007, TELUS successfully implemented its consolidation of multiple
order entry and billing systems into one unified customer care platform for one million
Alberta customers. While unplanned order entry issues had to be overcome, the critical
billing function worked well. Additional related development and conversions are
planned over the next several years, including a similar system conversion for more than
one million B.C. customers planned for the second half of 2008. The expected benefits