Telus 2012 Annual Report Download - page 10

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We are enhancing our national capability to support cloud computing services and
internal requirements by investing in new state-of-the-art intelligent IDCs in Rimouski,
Quebec and Kamloops, B.C. Phase I of the Rimouski facility opened in 2012 and is in
service. The Kamloops facility is planned to go into service in mid-2013. These facilities
have been designed to Uptime Institute Tier III standards for reliability and security, and
to the leadership in energy and environmental design (“LEED”) gold standards for
sustainability. A modular design approach facilitates scalable expansion in the future.
These new IDCs connect directly to our national IP network and interconnect with our
existing data centres across the country, creating an advanced and regionally diverse
computing infrastructure in Canada.
Focusing relentlessly on the growth markets of data, IP and wireless
In May 2011, we entered into a five-year contract extension with the Government of Ontario
to provide, manage and supply a portfolio of telecommunications services, including
information technology security.
In addition, in 2011, following a three-year request for proposal and negotiation process, we
signed a 10-year agreement with the Government of B.C. to provide telecommunications
and strategic services to the government and its public sector partners. We were the
government’s previous service provider for many of these services. We expect to invest
approximately $350 million over the 10-year period to extend advanced communications
technology into rural B.C. Under this agreement, in 2012 we extended wireless coverage
along 455 km of primary and secondary highways in B.C. and upgraded 129 B.C.
schools from legacy copper services to fibre optic Internet connections.
In May 2012, we announced a two-year extension to our agreement with the Ontario
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. Under the agreement, we manage, operate and
maintain electronic processing systems and technology support services, which enable
online, real-time processing of drug claims under the Ontario Public Drug Programs.
In August 2012, we introduced prepaid services to the Koodo® brand for the first time, to
complement existing Koodo postpaid offerings. In addition, in September 2012 we unveiled
TELUSHealth.com, a new online hub for healthcare professionals. The site offers
solutions such as eClaims, personal health records and home care monitoring, as well
as educational resources, news, events and publications to assist healthcare
professionals. TELUS Health provides technologies and applications that connect
professionals to information and enable more rapid acceptance and adoption of health
information technology solutions. Information is moved securely on our
telecommunications infrastructure.
Providing integrated solutions that differentiate TELUS from its competitors
Our ongoing investment in the expansion of our fibre-optic network has provided the
capacity to introduce new home entertainment services in B.C. and Alberta. In June
2010, we launched the Optik™ brand in B.C. and Alberta, a new suite of advanced IP-
based TV and high-speed Internet services. We launched the same innovative services
in Eastern Quebec in April 2011. Optik services bring together our most advanced home
services – Optik TV™ based on the Microsoft Mediaroom platform and TELUS high-
speed Internet that can be accessed anywhere in the home with Wi-Fi.