Microsoft Unveils Microsoft Dynamics CRM Mobile


News Press Release

Microsoft Unveils Microsoft Dynamics CRM Mobile
Next Microsoft Dynamics CRM service update will include a new, cloud-based, cross-platform, native mobile application.

REDMOND, Wash. — Feb. 6, 2012 — Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq “MSFT”) today announced that Microsoft Dynamics CRM will release its next service update in Q2 2012. This service update will deliver the capability for customers to access the complete functionality of Microsoft Dynamics CRM on virtually any device with a new cloud-based, cross-platform, native mobile client service for Windows Phone 7, iPad, iPhone, Android and BlackBerry mobile devices.

“In today’s hyperconnected world, customers need to be able to access their business-critical data on the device of their choice from wherever they are,” said Dennis Michalis, general manager, Microsoft Dynamics CRM. “These advancements, combined with the strength of the Microsoft platform, make Microsoft Dynamics CRM an obvious choice for any business.”

Maintaining Microsoft’s commitment to delivering rapid innovation to customers, the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Q2 2012 service update also includes enhanced social functionality and new enterprise-class features, and adds multiple Web browser options for users, including Internet Explorer, Chrome, Firefox and Safari, running on PC, Macintosh and iPad devices.

Delivering CRM on Virtually Any Mobile Device

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Mobile will deliver customers a fast and familiar experience, helping sales, customer service, marketing and management professionals connect with their customers and each other on multiple mobile devices through a security-enhanced environment. For instance, sales and marketing representatives will now be able to quickly capture and convert leads 24/7 and develop marketing campaigns on the go.

Using the cloud-based, cross-platform, native mobile client service, customers will be able to sync their information and sales pipelines offline, helping them stay connected on the road and on their terms.

Through the power of xRM, the flexible application development framework of Microsoft Dynamics CRM, customers will also be able to easily mobilize their extended CRM applications by having seamless integration between Microsoft Dynamics CRM Mobile and their existing Microsoft Dynamics CRM environment.

Microsoft Dynamics CRM Mobile will be available at a starting price of $30 (U.S.) per user, per month and supports the use of up to three devices per user.

Additional Social Enhancements

Building on the Microsoft Dynamics CRM November 2011 service update, the new release will include more social capabilities with Activity Feeds that give people the ability to like and unlike status updates, improved status filtering, and the capability to view all statuses relating to a particular record view, which will make it even easier for users to stay on top of all relevant customer information to help them be more productive.

Complete information on the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Q2 2012 service update is available in theRelease Preview Guide and a blog post from Michalis on CRM Connection. Those who want to follow and engage with the Microsoft Dynamics CRM Twitter community can do so at @MSDynamicsCRM, using #MSDYNCRM and #crm2011.

About Microsoft Dynamics

Microsoft Dynamics CRM and ERP solutions empower your people to be more productive and your systems to last longer and scale as your business grows, while enabling you to derive the insights necessary to respond quickly in an ever-changing world of business.

About Microsoft

Founded in 1975, Microsoft (Nasdaq “MSFT”) is the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential.

Note to editors: For more information, news and perspectives from Microsoft, please visit the Microsoft News Center at http://www.microsoft.com/news. Web links, telephone numbers and titles were correct at time of publication, but may have changed. For additional assistance, journalists and analysts may contact Microsoft’s Rapid Response Team or other appropriate contacts listed athttp://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

D&H CANADA ENHANCES ITS LINECARD WITH SIX NEW VENDORS IN STORAGE, MOBILITY AND MORE

D&H CANADA ENHANCES ITS LINECARD WITH SIX NEW
VENDORS IN STORAGE, MOBILITY AND MORE

MISSISSAUGA, ONT – February 6, 2012 – D&H Canada, the major North American
computer products and consumer electronics distributor, announces it has signed agreements
with six new vendors in the past several months, starting off 2012 with a strengthened vendor
portfolio in multiple key categories. The distributor has added Archos’ versatile line of Android-
and Windows-based tablets, plus Jabra’s high-fidelity headsets for devices, in the mobile space.
In the storage arena, which is recovering after 2011’s Thai flooding, D&H Canada has added G-
Technology’s Mac-based storage solutions and CRU-Dataport’s RAID systems. In addition,
D&H will carry Ooma’s VoIP phone solutions, plus Blue Microphones’ audio technology for the
recording enthusiast.

These products and categories run the gamut of D&H’s offerings, from networking
solutions to personal computing to components and VoIP products. These additions to D&H
Canada’s linecard show an overall growth pattern as the distributor continues to become more
entrenched in the SMB marketplace, and as it comes upon its fifth-year anniversary. Similarly,
D&H Canada’s customer base is always growing, currently at an average of approximately 60
customers per month.

Meet D&H’s New Vendor Partners:

Archos: Archos offers a list of tablets and ereaders varying in size from 10-
inch models to more compact, 5-inch web-surfing devices. One of the early non-
iPad tablet developers, Archos has a roster of Android- and “Honeycomb”-based
models, plus the Windows-based Archos 9 pctablet, and more.

Jabra: Jabra produces headsets for mobile phones, cars, and office environments,
encompassing Bluetooth, in-car, corded and wireless models to fit any use. SMB-
based models include headsets that are optimized for unified communications.

G-Tech: G-Technology by Hitachi is the creator of premium external storage
solutions for the Apple Mac and A/V content creation communities, including
the G-SPEED, G-RAID and G-DRIVE product families. This line-up includes
rugged portable drives and ultra-fast, multi-drive RAID solutions.

CRU-Dataport: CRU offers portable, handheld storage drives, including the
new, easily “swappable” ToughTech Duo RAID system. These removable
and external hard drives boast a superior standard for physical security and
safe data transport, making them a fine option for sensitive markets such as the
government, education or financial verticals.

Ooma: Ooma’s home VoIP system delivers high-definition voice clarity for an
affordable, effective Internet-based phone service. Ooma’s easy-to-use, plug-and-
play units feature the company’s new “PureVoice” HD technology.

Blue Microphones: Blue Microphones claim the “ultimate” USB and XLR
microphones for professional recording, including portable and desktop models,
audio tools and accessories.

“We’ve pursued partners in a wide range of areas, building on our already diverse
linecard,” said Mike DeKok, director of purchasing at D&H Canada. “D&H’s ability to
represent such a broad ecosystem helps us to become that one-stop resource for our resellers and
dealers. Our focus is not just on increasing our product breadth, but also on providing the best
and most strategically advantageous selection possible. D&H Canada hasn’t set out to be all
things to all people, but more to offer a stellar line-up of products that exemplify the areas that
best suit our customers’ needs.”

About D&H Distributing
As one of North America’s leading technology distributors, D&H Canada provides a
wealth of resources to empower solution providers and consultants, delivering a broad selection
of SMB categories, products and applications. The company’s offerings span server and
infrastructure, SOHO and mobile applications, consumer electronics and gaming. D&H’s multi-
market expertise, account-dedicated sales teams, sterling service and flexible financing options
are unmatched in the industry.
With an impressive 93-year history serving as a trusted advisor to the reseller channel,
D&H Distributing has been able to consistently reinvent itself based upon changing market
conditions. The company prides itself on creating business partnerships with an astute focus on
ease-of-doing-business, relationships, value, performance and service.
D&H was recently named Cisco Worldwide Small Business Distributor of the Year
for 2010. The company ships out of five separate locations in North America, including its
US headquarters in Harrisburg, PA, and its Canadian headquarters in Mississauga, Ontario.

Additional US warehouses are located in Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL; and Fresno, CA. Call D&H
toll-free at 1-800-340-1008 or visit www.dandh.ca.

BlackBerry 7 Smartphones Certified for U.S. and Canadian Governments

BlackBerry 7 Smartphones Certified for U.S. and Canadian Governments

BlackBerry 7 and 7.1 OS Achieve FIPS 140-2 Certification

WATERLOO, ONTARIO, Feb 01, 2012 (MARKETWIRE via COMTEX) -- Research In Motion (RIM) RIMM -0.12% CA:RIM -2.27% today announced that BlackBerry(R) smartphones running on the powerful new BlackBerry(R) 7 and BlackBerry(R) 7.1 Operating Systems (OS) have been awarded FIPS 140-2 certification by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSEC). FIPS (Federal Information Processing Standard) 140-2 is recognized by the U.S. and Canadian governments and is required under the Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 (FISMA).

All BlackBerry smartphones running BlackBerry 7 and BlackBerry 7.1 benefit from this certification, including the BlackBerry(R) Bold(TM) 9900, 9930 and 9790, BlackBerry(R) Torch(TM) 9850, 9860 and 9810, and BlackBerry(R) Curve(TM) 9350, 9360, 9370 and 9380.

"The FIPS 140-2 certification for BlackBerry 7.0 and 7.1 illustrates RIM's continuing commitment to providing industry-leading, secure, mobile computing platforms for our customers," said Scott Totzke, Senior Vice President, BlackBerry Security at Research In Motion. "With all of the latest BlackBerry smartphones and the PlayBook tablet certified under the FIPS program, government and security-conscious customers can deploy our entire range of products with confidence."

In addition to FIPS 140-2 certification, the BlackBerry 7 OS has received Common Criteria EAL4+ certification (see announcement - November 14, 2011). The BlackBerry(R) PlayBook(TM) tablet has also received FIPS 140-2 validation (see announcement - July 21, 2011).

For more information, visit http://us.blackberry.com/ataglance/security .

About Research In Motion

Research In Motion (RIM), a global leader in wireless innovation, revolutionized the mobile industry with the introduction of the BlackBerry(R) solution in 1999. Today, BlackBerry products and services are used by millions of customers around the world to stay connected to the people and content that matter most throughout their day. Founded in 1984 and based in Waterloo, Ontario, RIM operates offices in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America. RIM is listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market RIMM -0.12% and the Toronto Stock Exchange CA:RIM -2.27% . For more information, visit www.rim.com or www.blackberry.com .

Forward-looking statements in this news release are made pursuant to the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and applicable Canadian securities laws. When used herein, words such as "expect", "anticipate", "estimate", "may", "will", "should", "intend," "believe", and similar expressions, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and assumptions made by RIM in light of its experience and its perception of historical trends, current conditions and expected future developments, as well as other factors that RIM believes are appropriate in the circumstances. Many factors could cause RIM's actual results, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including those described in the "Risk Factors" section of RIM's Annual Information Form, which is included in its Annual Report on Form 40-F (copies of which filings may be obtained at www.sedar.com or www.sec.gov ). These factors should be considered carefully, and readers should not place undue reliance on RIM's forward-looking statements. RIM has no intention and undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

The BlackBerry and RIM families of related marks, images and symbols are the exclusive properties and trademarks of Research In Motion Limited. RIM, Research In Motion and BlackBerry are registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and may be pending or registered in other countries. All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. RIM assumes no obligations or liability and makes no representation, warranty, endorsement or guarantee in relation to any aspect of any third party products or services.

Contacts: Media Contact: Brodeur Partners (PR Agency for RIM) Marisa Conway 646-746-5606 mconway@brodeur.com Investor Contact: RIM Investor Relations 519-888-7465 investor_relations@rim.com

mHealth Users of Remote Health Monitoring to Reach 3 million by 2016: Smartphones Play Leading Role

mHealth Users of Remote Health Monitoring to Reach 3 million by 2016: Smartphones Play Leading Role

Additionally, Smartphone Hardware Peripheral Market to Gain Traction

Hampshire, UK – 2nd February  2012: A burgeoning market for healthcare peripherals and increasing smartphone processing power will result in the number of patients monitored by mobile networks to rise to 3 million by 2016, finds Juniper Research’s latest report on the mHealth sector.

Remote patient monitoring, using the smartphone as a hub, will also lower the cost of mHealth services by reducing the need for costly tailored devices.

Cardiac Monitoring Leads the Field

The new Juniper report finds that the monitoring of cardiac outpatients is currently leading the field, as insurance reimbursement in the US market plays a key role. However, in time the management of diabetes and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disorder) and other chronic diseases will play an important role in the remote patient monitoring market. 

“Remote patient monitoring will step in to reduce the cost burden of unhealthy lifestyles and aging populations,” says report author Anthony Cox. But while remote patient monitoring is already showing both positive medical outcomes and cost savings over outpatient care, more trials would still benefit mHealth in order to further convince the medical establishment of its benefits, finds Juniper Research.

Further findings from the report include:

·         Mobile Healthcare and medical App downloads will reach 44 million in 2012, Rising to 142 Million in 2016

·         Clarification from the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) on which mHealth apps will require FDA approval is still required but is expected to add further impetus to the market.

·         Developing markets continue to benefit from SMS-based education programmes and stand to benefit in medium term from app-based healthcare services such as mobile ultrasound that are now being developed

·         EHR (electronic health records) have yet to gain significant traction even in developed markets but in the long term will become an important component of mHealth offerings

A complimentary mHealth whitepaper and further details of the full studycan be downloaded from the Juniper Research website.

Juniper Research provides research and analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector, providing consultancy, analyst reports and industry commentary.

Jess Hanslip
Juniper Research
T: +44(0)1256 830 001
E: jess.hanslip@juniperresearch.com

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Ontario Premier Celebrates Waterloo Region Tech Sector Growth at The Communitech Hub


Ontario Premier Celebrates Waterloo Region Tech Sector Growth at The Communitech Hub


Google, Desire2Learn, University of Waterloo VeloCity and The Communitech Hub Expand Jobs, Premises

WATERLOO REGION, ON, Feb. 2, 2012 /CNW/ - Waterloo Region's tech sector growth trajectory continues this week with a celebration at The Communitech Hub of expansions and job growth - an open house event to be attended this morning by Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty. The celebration marks growth milestones including:

  • Google http://www.google.ca/intl/en/jobs/waterloo which continues to grow, expanding its current premises by another 11,000+ square feet for a total of 53,656 square feet at The Tannery Building in downtown Kitchener -- also home to The Communitech Hub;
  • Desire2Learn www.desire2learn.com -- a learning solutions company in growth mode with 200 job openings -- expanding to take over another full floor at the Tannery Building occupying 67,000 square feet in total;
  • The University of Waterloo's VeloCity incubator http://velocity.uwaterloo.ca moving into a new, expanded 6,500 square foot workspace in The Communitech Hub;
  • The Communitech Hub www.communitech.ca celebrating the grand opening of another 14,000 square feet of space, bringing its total floorspace to 44,000 square feet.

"Ontario's innovation engine is on full throttle as we can see today at this celebration in Waterloo Region," said Premier McGuinty. "Innovation programs that the Province has supported including contributing to The Communitech Hub which opened just 18 months ago, are working for all Ontarians -- building a stronger economy for Ontario families."

"We're excited about the results that are being attained in Waterloo Region, driving innovative technologies, bringing those innovations to market and creating companies and jobs in Ontario, and we congratulate those here today who are in expansion mode and contributing to the vibrancy of the tech sector," said Iain Klugman, CEO of Communitech.

Since first announcing its move to The Tannery, Google has doubled in size and continues to be one of the top engineering offices in Kitchener-Waterloo, driving tremendous growth and innovation worldwide.

"Kitchener-Waterloo is a great place to work and invest, and we are proud to be a part of the community, and a partner with Communitech to support not only our growth but the entire community's success," said Steve Woods, Engineering Director at Google.

Desire2Learn develops innovative solutions to help transform the learning experience and create a world where everyone has the opportunity to excel. The company is realizing phenomenal growth, with nearly 400 employees and more than 8 million users worldwide.

"We're thrilled to be an active contributor to the innovation being generated in this Region," commented John Baker, President and CEO, Desire2Learn Incorporated. "The outstanding products and services coming out of the Waterloo Region technology sector are having a dramatic impact around the globe."

The University of Waterloo's VeloCity program aims to develop Canada's next generation of successful entrepreneurs. Students take their first steps in building startups and professional networks while living in the VeloCity residence on campus and then move up to the next level at the VeloCity workspace in The Communitech Hub.

"The grand opening of the new VeloCity workspace is a critical milestone in our continued efforts to foster the next generation of University of Waterloo mobile, media and web entrepreneurs," said Mike Kirkup, Director of VeloCity. "The expanded workspace will enable us to increase collaboration, creative thinking and competition to help VeloCity companies turn their ideas into businesses."

In 2009 the Province of Ontario invested $26.4 million into Communitech's $107 million digital media strategy, which is anchored at The Communitech Hub. In just two short years, job and company creation has significantly accelerated since the Province's investment, said Klugman. Within 18 months, demand from companies and requirements for support services drove the need for the current expansion. Today's event was held in the newly renovated additional space.

Last week, Communitech reported that 450 startup jobs and 300 new companies emerged in Waterloo Region during 2011, along with continued hiring in established companies. Companies working with the Communitech startups team raised over $70 million in funding from venture capitalists, angel investors and government incentive programs to fuel innovation during 2011.

About Communitech
Founded by a group of dedicated entrepreneurs in 1997, Communitech is the regional hub for the commercialization of innovative technologies supporting and building a Southwestern Ontario tech cluster of more than 800 companies that now generates more than $25B in revenue.  Communitech supports tech companies at all stages of their growth and development - from startup companies, to rapidly growing SMEs, to large global players - to create greater numbers of successful global businesses for Ontario and for Canada.

For further information:

Media Contact
Shelley Grandy, Sr. PR Advisor, Communitech, 905-866-2656 or segrandy@communitech.ca


TELUS acquires Wolf Medical Systems, Canada's fastest-growing cloud-based EMR (Electronic Medical Record) provider

TELUS acquires Wolf Medical Systems, Canada's fastest-growing cloud-based EMR (Electronic Medical Record) provider

Acquisition creates TELUS Physician Solutions line of business dedicated to helping physicians improve productivity and deliver better health outcomes for patients

VANCOUVER, Feb. 2, 2012 /CNW/ - TELUS Health Solutions today announced the acquisition of Wolf Medical Systems. This acquisition will create a new line of business within TELUS Health Solutions called TELUS Physician Solutions. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

TELUS has selected Wolf based on its people, technology, and a shared vision of how information, communications and technology (ICT) can transform healthcare for Canadians. Wolf Medical Systems is Canada's largest and fastest-growing cloud-based EMR provider. Since 2010, over 11 million patient visits have been documented by physicians using Wolf EMR. On a typical day, physicians using the system see more than 26,000 patients, prescribe 23,000 medications and review 166,000 lab results. Now, access to EMRs can be further expanded by combining Wolf's hosted, cloud-based technology with TELUS' secure, wireless and wireline broadband communications networks.

The addition of Wolf EMR (for physicians) rounds out TELUS' portfolio of world class health record solutions including TELUS health space (for the home and on the go via a smartphone or tablet) and Oacis (for healthcare institutions). TELUS is now uniquely positioned to facilitate the integration of health records from the home, to the doctor's office and to the hospital; ensuring critical health information is available to care providers over secure, wireline and wireless broadband networks wherever and whenever they need it.

"Electronic medical records are an essential building block to an efficient healthcare system in Canada," explained Paul Lepage, senior vice-president, TELUS Health Solutions. "While EMRs have been proven to increase efficiency and performance at both the clinical and regional healthcare system levels, Canada's EMR penetration rate of about 32 per cent lags behind other OECD countries. By committing to the EMR market with a best-in-class solution, combined with the connectivity that our wireless and wireline broadband networks enable, we are positioned to help increase this adoption rate which will in turn improve work processes, efficiencies in service delivery, and patient health outcomes."

The new TELUS Physician Solutions organization will be led by Dr. Brendan Byrne, a practicing physician and founder of Wolf Medical Systems. Dr. Byrne's team of more than 75 EMR professionals, paired with the depth and resources of TELUS, will allow for the rapid expansion of capabilities uniquely directed at the physician market.

"Joining the TELUS team is a tremendous opportunity for Wolf Medical Systems to fully realize our vision to be trusted by physicians to turn information into outcomes," said Dr. Brendan Byrne, vice-president, TELUS Physician Solutions. "TELUS and Wolf are already deeply aligned in our commitment to develop and support technology that helps doctors help patients. Now as part of TELUS, we can deepen our investments to improve the physician experience and productivity, re-define EMR in terms of outcomes rather than features and leverage the TELUS brand, health portfolio and high-speed networking capabilities."

TELUS Physician Solutions EMR will be enhanced with the addition of mobility, care collaboration, homecare and consumer solutions.  This will help doctors coordinate and share information with their extended healthcare team and their patients and families anywhere, anytime.

Over the past 13 years Wolf Medical Systems has evolved EMR from a simple software product to a market leading cloud-based EMR solution. Since 2010, the company has exclusively committed to cloud-based technology to enhance the physician experience in terms of patient care and physician productivity while focusing on health outcomes. The result is a secure, highly available, highly reliable cloud-based EMR that reduces the investment required by physicians as they upgrade from paper files to electronic systems.

About TELUS Health Solutions
TELUS Health Solutions is a leader in telehealth, electronic health records, remote patient monitoring, mobile home and community care, consumer health, benefits management and pharmacy management. Our solutions give health authorities, providers, physicians, patients and consumers the power to enhance decision making and improve outcomes for Canadians. TELUS Health Solutions is transforming how information is used across the continuum of care from hospital to home with solutions that foster collaboration, drive prevention and empower care teams and patients. TELUS Health Solutions is Canada's leading Healthcare IT Company as cited by the Branham Group for five years and for being honoured as the ITAC Health Company of the Year (2008) and Health Transformation Company of the Year (2009). For more information about TELUS Health Solutions, please visit www.telushealth.com and www.telushealthspace.com.

About TELUS
TELUS (TSX: T, T.A; NYSE: TU) is a leading national telecommunications company in Canada, with $10.3 billion of annual revenue and 12.6 million customer connections including 7.2 million wireless subscribers, 3.6 million wireline network access lines, 1.3 million Internet subscribers and more than 450,000 TELUS TV customers. Led since 2000 by President and CEO, Darren Entwistle, TELUS provides a wide range of communications products and services including data, Internet protocol (IP), voice, entertainment and video.

In support of our philosophy to give where we live, TELUS, our team members and retirees have contributed $245 million to charitable and not-for-profit organizations and volunteered 4.1 million hours of service to local communities since 2000. Eleven TELUS Community Boards across Canada lead TELUS' local philanthropic initiatives. TELUS was honoured to be named the most outstanding philanthropic corporation globally for 2010 by the Association of Fundraising Professionals, becoming the first Canadian company to receive this prestigious international recognition.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com.

For further information:
Janice Murray
TELUS Health Solutions
416-487-5007
Janice.murray@telus.com   
James Watson
Wolf Medical Systems
604-579-1000
james.watson@wolfmedical.com

Fujitsu Canada acquires TMC

Fujitsu Canada acquires TMC

Fujitsu Canada builds up its presence in Saskatchewan with this acquisition

MONTREAL, Feb. 2, 2012 /CNW Telbec/ - The president of Fujitsu Canada, Mr. André Pouliot, is pleased to announce the acquisition of TMC, a business and information technology (IT) consulting solution and service provider. This agreement is aligned to Fujitsu Canada's long term strategy to strengthen its position as a leader in the Canadian information and communication technology (ICT) market. The details of the transaction have not been disclosed.

"The acquisition of TMC enhances Fujitsu Canada's offerings and consolidates its presence in Saskatchewan, a province that has experienced major economic growth. It will also let the company expand its pool of experts and improve its delivery capability. By combining forces, both organizations will offer a broader line of services and products that will not only meet the needs of the province's customers, but also allow us to support all our customers in Central and Western Canada in terms of managed services, application development and service desks," said Mr. Pouliot.

In operation for close to 20 years, TMC relies on the recognized expertise of some 70 professionals and offers services in the areas of project management, management consulting, business analysis, application development, delegated management and service desks. Not only has it made a name for itself over the years by constantly seeking cutting-edge solutions, but it has also built its reputation around the special attention it pays to the success of its customers. The current TMC senior management team will become part of the Fujitsu Canada leadership team.

"We are proud to join with Fujitsu Canada, which has recognized our expertise and the quality of our services. As an ICT leader, Fujitsu will give us the benefit of preferred access to world class experts and products so we can better serve our existing customers as well expand our business in Saskatchewan. This partnership will give our employees the possibility to take on new challenges," stated Mr. David Luterbach, president of TMC. "Fujitsu and TMC have similar values and share a common vision on the importance of its relationships with employees and customers. We firmly believe that this agreement will produce results." 

About Fujitsu

Fujitsu is the leading Japanese information and communication technology (ICT) company offering a full range of technology products, solutions and services. Over 170,000 Fujitsu people support customers in more than 100 countries. We use our experience and the power of ICT to shape the future of society with our customers. Fujitsu Limited (TSE:6702) reported consolidated revenues of 4.5 trillion yen (US$55 billion) for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011. For more information, please see: www.fujitsu.com.

About Fujitsu Canada

As an affiliate of Fujitsu—the Japanese global information and communication technology (ICT) company — Fujitsu Canada harnesses its experience and the power of ICT to provide the competitive edge business needs to succeed. What sets it apart? Fujitsu Canada knows how to exploit its global capabilities for the benefit of the local market. It is committed to finding the best fit solution to meet the unique client needs. Fujitsu Canada's product and service offerings include: system development and integration, delegated management, cloud computing, consulting services, industry solutions, servers, storage devices, point of sale systems and mobile devices. For more information: fujitsu.com/ca.

About TMC

TMC is one of Saskatchewan's most experienced and trusted IT firms. Now in their 19th year of operations, TMC has over 70 staff members and has created a solid record of successful projects and satisfied clients. TMC business practices include turnkey solutions in business systems consulting, software development, managed services, data centre services, and product solutions. In all service offerings, TMC has very well defined methodologies that are repeatable, ensuring consistent success on each project. For more information: www.tmctech.com

For further information:

Fujitsu Canada
Caroline Senay, External Communications and Marketing Manager
Tel: 514 877-3301
E-mail: caroline.senay@ca.fujitsu.com

Telesat proposes $40 million investment in Arctic Infrastructure to expand broadband services in the North

Telesat proposes $40 million investment in Arctic Infrastructure to expand broadband services in the North

Proposal responds to 2011 Arctic Communications Infrastructure Assessment Report's key findings and recommendations by expanding and modernizing the broadband infrastructure serving Nunavut, the Northwest Territories and the Yukon

OTTAWA, Feb. 2, 2012 /CNW/ - Telesat, Canada's premiere satellite services provider, announced today a proposal to remedy gaps and shortcomings in the communications infrastructure serving the North that were identified in the Arctic Communications Infrastructure Assessment (ACIA) Report prepared for the Northern Communications & Information Systems Working Group and sponsored by the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency. Under Telesat's proposal, called the "Arctic Communications Infrastructure Initiative", Telesat commits to make a substantial investment, in the context of a broader public/private partnership, in a robust, stable and affordable communications network that will meet the needs of the Northern communities over the next decade. Specifically, Telesat estimates it will cost $160 million to provide the additional communications infrastructure to meet the requirements outlined in the Report for the next ten years. Telesat is prepared to invest approximately $40 million, or 25% of the estimated total project cost, toward the initiative in both satellite bandwidth and ground segment upgrades.

The Arctic Communications Infrastructure Initiative would more than double the satellite bandwidth available for broadband in the North and, moreover, provides a practical and near term plan for upgrading the communications infrastructure that is so urgently needed across the Arctic to ensure that every community has redundant and robust communications facilities to prevent service disruptions. Telesat estimates that, once approved, the project could be implemented in less than 12 months' time.

"Telesat has been serving the North for 40 years and is deeply committed to ensuring that Northern communities have access to a broadband communications infrastructure that is on par with that which exists in Southern Canada," said Paul Bush, Telesat's Vice President, Business Development.  "Our Arctic Communications Infrastructure Initiative will more than double the communications capacity serving the Arctic, provide urgently needed network redundancy in every Northern community, and put in place the long term funding required to ensure this modern and robust network is in place for at least the next ten years. Telesat is committing to invest 25% of the project cost for this important initiative and looks forward to working with other interested parties to ensure that those living and working in the North have access to a state-of-the art robust and broadband communications infrastructure, an infrastructure that is essential for Canada's safety, sovereignty and security and the economic prosperity of the Arctic communities."

Telesat formally submitted its Arctic Communications Infrastructure Initiative to the co-chairs of the Northern Communications & Information Systems Working Group that led the development of the ACIA Report.

About Telesat (www.telesat.com)
Telesat is a leading global fixed satellite services operator providing reliable and secure satellite-delivered communications solutions worldwide to broadcast, telecom, corporate and government customers. Headquartered in Ottawa, Canada, with offices and facilities around the world, the company's state-of-the-art fleet consists of 12 satellites plus the Canadian Ka-band payload on ViaSat-1 and two more satellites under construction. Telesat also manages the operations of additional satellites for third parties. Privately held, Telesat's principal shareholders are Canada's Public Sector Pension Investment Board and Loral Space & Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: LORL).

Forward-Looking Statements Safe Harbor
This news release contains statements that are not based on historical fact and are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.  When used in this news release, the words "estimates", "will", "would", "could" or other variations of these words or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Actual results may differ materially from the expectations expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements as a result of known and unknown risks and uncertainties. Detailed information about some of the known risks and uncertainties is included in the "Risk Factors" section of Telesat Canada's Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010 filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as well as Telesat Canada's quarterly reports on Form 6-K and other filings with the SEC. These filings can be obtained on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. Known risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: risks associated with operating satellites and providing satellite services, including satellite construction or launch delays, launch failures, in-orbit failures,  impaired satellite performance or inability to restore capacity and risks associated with domestic and foreign government regulation. The foregoing list of important factors is not exhaustive. The information contained in this news release reflects Telesat's beliefs, assumptions, intentions, plans and expectations as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, Telesat disclaims any obligation or undertaking to update or revise the information herein.

For further information:

Gerry Nagler, Telesat +1 908 698-4907 (gnagler@telesat.com)

NYSE Technologies Selects Q9 to Further Extend its SFTI Global Trading Network in Canada

NYSE Technologies Selects Q9 to Further Extend its SFTI Global Trading Network in Canada

Published: Thursday, Feb. 2, 2012 - 6:12 am

/PRNewswire/ - Q9 Networks (Q9) is pleased to announce that it has been selected by NYSE Technologies, the commercial technology unit of NYSE Euronext (NYX), to host a Secure Financial Transaction Infrastructure (SFTI®) access centre.  The agreement will extend the SFTI backbone into Q9's Toronto data centre, enabling Canadian customers to directly access services over the global capital markets network.

Created for the financial services community in 2002, SFTI is built to facilitate large quantities of electronic quotes, trades and market data traffic while ensuring reliable, ultra-low latency access to NYSE Euronext's markets and other global trading venues and firms, including more than 1,300 market participants.

Under the terms of the multi-year agreement, Q9 is providing NYSE Technologies with secure and redundant physical infrastructure in one of its high-availability data centres.

With this new installation, financial services customers within the Q9 data centre will be able to cross-connect into a suite of low-latency trading services available on SFTI. Customers outside of the facility will also be able to receive SFTI services by connecting into the Q9 access centre.

"Co-locating in Q9's state-of-the-art data centre further strengthens the reach and connectivity of the SFTI global trading network," says Don Brook, Head of Infrastructure, NYSE Technologies. "Q9 has attracted a strong base of trading firms, including a number of SFTI customers that will benefit from even greater market access, reduced connectivity costs and enhanced performance through this new access centre."

Q9 designs, builds and operates its data centres to meet the most demanding IT infrastructure requirements, including the increased power and cooling demands of today's high density computing devices. Customers connect to the Internet via Q9's unique network and are protected by Q9's 100 per cent, SLA-backed uptime guarantees on both power and network availability. Customer equipment and data centre environmental parameters are monitored 7x24 by Q9's Control Centre, staffed by experts versed in all aspects of IT and facilities management.

"We are very pleased to be hosting the NYSE Technologies' SFTI network at Q9," says Q9 Chief Executive Officer, Osama Arafat. "Our reputation for security and reliability has been instrumental in establishing us as the data centre provider of choice for Canada's financial community. With this announcement, we further extend that reputation and enable Canadian market participants to take advantage of direct access to NYSE Technologies' high-quality, low-latency trading network."

About NYSE Technologies:

A division of NYSE Euronext (NYX), NYSE Technologies provides broadly accessible, comprehensive connectivity and transaction capabilities, data and infrastructure services, and managed solutions for a range of customers requiring next-generation performance and expertise for mission critical and value-added trading services. NYSE Technologies offers a diverse array of products, services and solutions to: the Buy Side, including order routing, liquidity discovery and access to a community of over 630 Broker-Dealers and execution destinations globally; the Sell Side, including high performance, end-to-end messaging software and innovative market data products delivered on the world's largest, most reliable financial transaction network; and Market Venues and Exchanges, including multi-asset exchange platform services, managed services and expert consultancy. With offices across the U.S., Europe, and Asia, NYSE Technologies offers advanced integrated solutions for the global capital markets community, earning the ability to power trading operations for many of the world's best financial institutions and exchanges. For additional information visit: http://nysetechnologies.nyx.com 

About Q9 Networks:

Q9 Networks is Canada's leading provider of outsourced data centre infrastructure for organizations with mission-critical IT operations. Q9's 11 data centres and network are backed by an industry leading SLA that guarantees 100 per cent network and power availability. Q9 services, including: co-location, bandwidth, dedicated servers, firewalls, load balancing, virtual private networking (VPN) and back-up/restore, enable the rapid provisioning and scalability of client infrastructure. Q9 is backed by ABRY Partners, one of the most experienced and successful media, communications and information services focused private investment firms in North America, having completed over $21 billion of investments since 1989.

SOURCE Q9 Networks Inc.

ShoreTel Acquires Hosted Unified Communications Pioneer M5 Networks

ShoreTel Acquires Hosted Unified Communications Pioneer M5 Networks

Acquisition Advances ShoreTel’s Cloud Strategy

SUNNYVALE, Calif., Feb. 1, 2012 – ShoreTel Inc. (NASDAQ: SHOR), the leading provider of brilliantly simple IP phone systems with fully integrated unified communications (UC), today announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire M5 Networks (“M5”), a recognized leader in hosted Unified Communications. As a result of the acquisition, ShoreTel will be uniquely positioned to provide customers a choice between on-premise and hosted UC solutions.

Under the terms of the definitive agreement, M5 shareholders will receive approximately $84 million in cash and 9.5 million shares of ShoreTel stock, which equates to a total of $146.3 million in initial consideration based on a ShoreTel’s average stock price over the prior 30 trading days. In addition, M5 shareholders may receive additional contingent consideration of up to $13.7 million. The contingent payments are payable over the two years after closing and are based upon the achievement of certain revenue performance milestones for the year ended Dec. 31, 2012.

The acquisition of privately held M5 enables ShoreTel to expand its solutions into the cloud and reach a large and growing market segment of customers that are looking to deploy IP communications through a hosted model. Industry trends such as cloud computing, virtualization, data center economics and the flexibility of services-based models are driving the Unified Communications as a Service (UCaaS) market, which provides businesses another way to bring unified communications to their workforce.

“The acquisition of M5 positions ShoreTel as a leader in the fast-growing cloud UC market and delivers a suite of hosted telephony solutions that is unmatched in the marketplace,” said Peter Blackmore, CEO of ShoreTel. “This acquisition is a critical step in our evolution and enables the company to capitalize on trends in cloud computing and advance our enterprise communications strategy.”

M5 pioneered hosted UC in 2000 and today provides more than 2,000 companies with enterprise-grade communications on a subscription basis. This acquisition positions ShoreTel to be a leading provider in the emerging UCaaS market, enabling it to extend its technology and industry-leading customer satisfaction that are the hallmarks of its value proposition into the cloud through a hosted offering.

According to a report by Gartner[1], the IP Voice as a Service market is expected to show a 36 percent compounded annual growth rate in North America through 2015 to $2.2 billion. With this acquisition, M5 brings the specialized knowledge, infrastructure and skills to give ShoreTel rapid entry into the hosted UC market while maintaining its focus on growing its traditional premise-based UC business.

 

Combined Value Of ShoreTel And M5

ShoreTel is acquiring M5’s entire operation including its customer base, distribution capability, and proprietary network, and will be extending offers to substantially all of its employees.

  • Following the close of the acquisition, M5 will be operated as a ShoreTel business unit and will be led by M5 CEO Dan Hoffman, who shares ShoreTel’s brilliantly simple approach to unified communications, and an intense focus on customer satisfaction. Hoffman will become president and general manager of the new business unit.
  • While the engineering teams will remain separate they will cooperate and coordinate in order to leverage the innovation and best practices of both groups so that both product roadmaps will benefit from the combined capabilities.
  • The current ShoreTel Champion Partner reseller program will evolve to include the ability to offer hosted services once the reseller has been qualified and certified.

“M5 is proud to be one of the leaders in the UC cloud market. We have achieved this position with a very strong management team and an excellent product offering that is the simplest in the industry,” said Dan Hoffman, CEO of M5 Networks. “Joining forces with ShoreTel enables us to reach our ambitions of scale and cement our position in the hosted UC marketplace.”

The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions, and is expected to close by the end of March 2012. Arbor Advisors acted as financial advisor to M5 Networks, and Bank of America Merrill Lynch acted as financial advisor to ShoreTel.

Webcast and Conference Call Information

ShoreTel will announce its financial results for the second quarter of fiscal year 2012 on a conference call and webcast at 1:30 p.m. PST (4:30 p.m. EST) today. To access the conference call, please dial +1-877-874-1565 for callers in the U.S. or Canada and +1-719-325-2313 for international callers and provide the operator with the conference identification number of 9984280. A live webcast will be available in the Investor Relations section of the Company's corporate website at www.shoretel.com and an archived recording will be available beginning approximately two hours after the completion of the call until the Company's announcement of its financial results for the next quarter. An audio telephonic replay of the conference call will also be available beginning at approximately 4:30 p.m. PST on Feb. 1, 2012, until 4:30 p.m. PST on Feb. 9, 2012, by dialing +1-888-203-1112 or +1-719-457-0820 for callers outside the U.S. and Canada and providing the conference identification number of 9984280.

 

Legal Notice Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

ShoreTel assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements included in this release. This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the federal securities laws, including, without limitation, statements by Peter Blackmore relating to the expected benefits of the proposed acquisition, market potential and statements regarding the proposed operation of M5 after closing. The forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. The risks and uncertainties include our ability to integrate M5 Networks, our ability to retain M5 Networks’ customer base, potential unknown liabilities, security breaches or outages which may negatively affect our reputation, managing geographically-dispersed operations, increased risk of intellectual property litigation by entering into new markets, uncertainty as to ShoreTel’s ability to retain and motivate key personnel from the acquired company, increased competition by entering into new markets, the potential for litigation in our industry, and other risk factors set forth in ShoreTel’s Form 10-K for the year ended June 30, 2011, as updated by our Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q on a quarterly basis.

 

Related Links & Conversation

 

About ShoreTel

ShoreTel, Inc. (NASDAQ: SHOR) is the provider of brilliantly simple Unified Communication (UC) solutions based on its award-winning IP business phone system. We offer organizations of all sizes integrated, voice, video, data, and mobile communications on an open, distributed IP architecture that helps significantly reduce the complexity and costs typically associated with other solutions. The feature-rich ShoreTel UC system offers the lowest total cost of ownership (TCO) and the highest customer satisfaction in the industry, in part because it is easy to deploy, manage, scale and use. Increasingly, companies around the world are finding a competitive edge by replacing business-as-usual with new thinking, and choosing ShoreTel to handle their integrated business communication. ShoreTel is based in Sunnyvale, California, and has regional offices in Austin, Texas; United Kingdom; Sydney, Australia; and Singapore. For more information, visit www.shoretel.com.

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