Telus 2013 Annual Report Download - page 10

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yearly through our corporate social responsibility report which is available at
telus.com/csr.
We are also committed to our community and aim to give where we live by improving
social outcomes for communities through the efforts of our eleven TELUS Community
Boards in Canada and three international Community Boards, TELUS Community
Ambassadors®; and programs such as TELUS’ Charitable Giving Program, the TELUS
Day of Giving® and Dollars for Doers and fundraising grants. Details about our
community investment program can be found in our 2013 Annual Report available at
telus.com/annualreport.
Three-year history
During the three-year period ending on December 31, 2013, we continued to advance
our national growth strategy, guided by our six strategic imperatives and our corporate
priorities for those years.
Building national capabilities across data, IP, voice and wireless
In 2011, we substantially completed our wireline VDSL2 technology overlay following on
a substantial completion of our ADSL2+ network in 2010. In 2012, we continued
investing in our wireline broadband network to expand capacity and coverage, which
reached approximately 2.4 million households in B.C., Alberta and Eastern Quebec at
December 31, 2012.
We began construction of our wireless 4G LTE network in the second half of 2011 and
launched LTE network service in 14 metropolitan areas across Canada in February
2012. By the end of 2012, coverage reached more than two-thirds of Canadians.
In 2013, we continued to invest in wireless capacity and network growth, while
investments for urban deployment of 4G LTE declined after our extensive expansion in
2012. At the end of 2013, our LTE network covered more than 81% of Canada’s
population across approximately 170 markets. Outside of LTE coverage areas, LTE
devices we offer operate on our HSPA+ network, which covered 99% of Canada’s
population at December 31, 2013.
In September 2013, we also began offering LTE wireless products and services in
Northern Canada with launches in Whitehorse, Yukon and Yellowknife, Northwest
Territories.
In January and February 2014, we participated in Industry Canada’s auction of 700 MHz
spectrum licences. At the conclusion of the auction we were advised that we were,
provisionally, the successful auction participant on 30 spectrum licences. The amount for
our provisionally awarded 700 MHz spectrum licences was approximately $1.14 billion.
In accordance with the auction terms, 20% was remitted to Industry Canada on March 5,
2014, with the balance due April 2, 2014; we expect to fund our provisionally awarded
700 MHz spectrum licences through a combination of issuance of TELUS Corporation
commercial paper, credit facilities, the possible issuance of debt and cash on hand.
Information on our long-term policy guideline for the net debt to EBITDA – excluding
restructuring and other like costs ratio can be found in MD&A Section 7.5 Liquidity and
capital resource measures. We do not have the right to commercially use the 30