BCE Mobile Third Quarter Earnings Up; Board Changes Announced

Business Wire, Oct 21, 1997

MONTREAL--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 21, 1997--BCE MOBILE (ME, TSE: BCX) BCE Mobile Communications Inc. (BCE Mobile) today announced earnings of $25.7 million for the third quarter of 1997, a 31 percent increase from the third quarter of 1996. Excluding costs incurred leading up to the launch of PCS, earnings from existing businesses were up 52 percent to $30.7 million.

"We are extremely pleased with our operating results for the first nine months of the year which have already surpassed our full-year results for 1996", said Robert Ferchat, BCE Mobile chairman and CEO. He cited growth in analog cellular service operations and a continued emphasis on selling cost containment as major reasons for the growth. "BCE Mobile is on track to deliver its 1997 financial objectives of 20 percent revenue growth and a combined cellular and PCS operating cash flow margin of 40 percent. We are financially and operationally poised for exciting times ahead in the wireless industry", Ferchat added. -0-

(Unaudited)              Third Quarter               Nine Months
                         _____________               ___________

($ millions)             1997  1996   1996       1997  1996    1996
                                   (adjusted              (adjusted
                                      (i))                  (i))
                       ______________________  ____________________

Net income - excluding
 non-recurring items     $25.7  $21.5   $19.6   $69.4  $80.0  $43.3
Revenues                 271.2  236.1   232.5   782.5  664.1  653.4
EBITDA                   106.5   86.5    83.2   297.8  229.1  219.7

(000)

Cellular subscribers
 (Sep. 30)               1,141   933            1,141   933
Pagers in service
 (Sep. 30)                 456   370              456   370

(i) adjusted for accounting change to recognize billing credits and
expense hardware costs as incurred