Attention: Business/News/Assignment Editors
For Immediate Release

Canquest Communications (Wireless) Inc. and Paging Network of Canada Inc. (PageNet), Partner with Leading Canadian Retailer to Offer New Prepaid Cellular and Paging Services to Credit Card Customers.


September 9th, 1999/ Chatham, ON, Canada: Canquest Communications (Wireless) Inc. and PageNet have partnered with the Bay and Zellers, subsidiaries of The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), Canada's largest department store retailer and oldest corporation, to provide prepaid cellular and paging services under a new banner, Global Contact.

The Global Contact program was launched September 7th, 1999 to 6 million Bay and Zellers cardholders. Global Contact differs from other cellular and paging plans in that the customer has the ability to control their airtime and paging costs. Canquest's proprietary licensed software will allow the customer to purchase cellular and paging time over the air, having it billed directly on their store card. 

"Canquest, PageNet, the Bay and Zellers have undertaken a unique and progressive approach in empowering the customer by introducing low flat rate service Canada wide," commented CEO of Canquest Communications (Wireless) Inc., John W. Smith. "This marks the first time in North America customers have the ability to buy prepaid cellular time over the air with no monthly contract or visit to a retail outlet. The Canquest copyrighted technology allows a simple and easy way to enjoy the many benefits of cellular and paging service with the added convenience of having it billed to a Bay or Zellers card account. This technology eliminates the need for the customer to be subject to a monthly carrier cellular bill."

"We are delighted at the opportunity of partnering with the Bay and Zellers to offer Global Contact Paging to their Bay and Zellers credit card customers," commented President and Chief Executive Officer, Garry Fitzgerald, of Paging Network of Canada, Inc. "We have developed a unique prepaid paging service that is simple to use and is an easy way to control their costs. Best of all, it offers the customer an alternative low cost way of getting paging service on Canada's best and broadest coverage paging network."

"We continue to look for opportunities to create new and innovative products for our customers," commented Marc Chouinard, president and COO of the Bay. "This program is yet another example of how we continue to offer better value to our card members in ways that enhance their relationship with the Bay. Global Contact demonstrates that commitment to providing valuable benefits to our credit card customers."

What differentiates the Global Contact cellular and paging program is that the customer is given control over their airtime and paging costs" commented Thomas Haig, president and COO of Zellers. "We have created these packages for the large number of Canadians that currently have not been able to access cellular or paging services. Our program offers convenient, customer-controlled options all at affordable rates."

Canquest Communications (Wireless) Inc. is a wholly owned subsidiary of Canquest Communications (Canada) Inc., Canada's only full service card platform provider. Paging Network of Canada, Inc. is Canada's largest and fastest growing paging company.

Hudson's Bay Company, established in 1670, is Canada's largest department store retailer and oldest corporation. The Company operates 99 Bay stores and more than 320 Zellers stores across the nation in addition to other retail related enterprises.

For further information please contact:
Derek Robertson, Canquest Communications (Canada) Inc. at (519) 351-8647 or 
email at DRoberts@canquest.com 

George Rivers, Paging Network of Canada Inc. (416) 207-4308
or email at George_Rivers@PageNet.ca

Shawna Rossi, The Hudson's Bay Company (416) 861-4123 or
email at Shawna.Rossi@hbc.com

Canquest Communications is Canada's only licensed full service card platform provider offering a range of electronic transaction business solutions including prepaid and postpaid phone cards, prepaid cellular, prepaid paging and customer service.