IBM Delivers New Services to Help Clients Move Enterprise Applications to the Cloud

IBM Delivers New Services to Help Clients Move Enterprise Applications to the Cloud

Financial, healthcare, government and electronics clients tap IBM SmartCloud Enterprise+; 
IBM SmartCloud for SAP Applications now available globally

ARMONK, N.Y. - 29 Jan 2013: IBM (NYSE:IBM) today announced global availability for its cloud service on five continents—plus a new center opening in Spain—based on its industry-leading sourcing business to host SAP® applications and other core operations. Now clients can turn to cloud computing for enterprise applications while reducing the overall cost of IT and at the same time, expanding online access and investing in innovative analytics, social business andmobile computing.

IBM SCE+ World Map

Many organizations are eager to leverage the economic advantages of cloud computing to run their critical applications on the cloud. These applications require deep technical expertise, around-the-clock customer service, tight security and ongoing maintenance – features typically found in IT sourcing arrangements but not in the “one-size-fits-all” model of self-service clouds.

To address this, IBM developed an Infrastructure-as-a-Service cloud built on decades of hosting experience gained by being the world’s largest provider of IT sourcing services with more than 1,000 clients. Called IBM SmartCloud Enterprise+ (SCE+), the service combines the best features of sourcing – high service level agreements, security and reliability – with the best features of cloud – elasticity and subscription-based pricing.

This service offers the same level of assurance normally associated with a hosted service to make sure clients can always access their core applications for ERP, CRM, analytics, social business and mobile computing from the cloud. The new service goes beyond the infrastructure offered as a service with typical public clouds. With this cloud service, IBM also helps manage patch updates and identity management, improving security, which analysts often cite as an inhibitor to cloud adoption.

“This is a logical evolution of IBM’s sourcing business that gives us an advantage both in our services relationships and the cloud market as we define a new enterprise-grade cloud today,” said Jim Comfort, general manager of IBM SmartCloud Services. “Our clients want sophisticated, economical cloud-based services that provide the same quality and service level as a private, hosted IT environment. With that assurance, they can focus more on driving business value from their data and operations, and less on managing their IT."  

An Enterprise-Grade Cloud Service—SmartCloud for SAP Applications

IBM is announcing today that IBM SmartCloud for SAP Applications, an enterprise service unique to IBM, is available globally.

As customers expand their use of SAP applications to more business processes, such as marketing campaigns based on Big Data, they often will benefit from more systems and greater management. Operating and managing IT environments running SAP solutions requires an advanced infrastructure and strong SAP operational skills.

IBM SmartCloud for SAP Applications automates and standardizes provisioning of IT environments, and can accelerate service delivery with expert certified staff. The SmartCloud services for SAP applications delivers 99.7 percent availability based on a global delivery model to support cloud-based systems around the clock. This service is available for SAP Business Suite software and the SAP BusinessObjects™ solution portfolio as an enterprise-class, fully managed Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) offering for running SAP solutions in a production environment.

"IBM's new cloud service for SAP applications exemplifies our two companies' work together in the last 40 years in delivering enterprise value to thousands of clients," said Dr. Vishal Sikka, member of the SAP Executive Board, Technology and Innovation. "Cloud computing is helping our clients transform their IT infrastructures and businesses. We are confident that our partnership with IBM – using their SmartCloud platform and our business applications – will help drive differentiated value to clients around the globe."

In addition, IBM is marrying its Global Business Services deep expertise, tools and processes with SmartCloud for SAP applications to deliver LifeCycle as a Service. This can transform implementations of SAP applications end to end – from sandbox to production. With this service, IBM takes responsibility and control of the SAP applications and provides management, including software patching of SAP solutions as well as support for the underlying operating system, database and middleware.

Clients may set up their SAP solutions development and test operations on IBM’s public cloud service – SmartCloud Enterprise. Then those SAP applications can be transitioned to the SCE+ platform for production to further assure higher availability of the operations.  

Client wins 

IBM has clients in finance, manufacturing, telecommunications, electronics, government and healthcare using SCE+. For example, IBM SCE+ is the cloud platform powering the Philips Smart TV platform for Internet services, which delivers greater interactive services to millions of TV viewers in more than 30 countries in Europe, as well as Brazil and Argentina.

“We needed a cloud computing environment resilient enough to support unexpected demands at any given time when millions of TV viewers access a variety of services on our network,” said Albert Mombarg, head of Philips Smart TV at TP Vision, a joint venture between Philips and TV manufacturer TPV. “IBM SmartCloud Enterprise+ provides an economic, flexible way to create new services for our viewers and we expect it to transform the way we deliver Philips Smart TV and drive ongoing business innovation."   

Heathcare is also well suited for SCE+. Summit Health, a health care management company, is tapping IBM SCE+ to support the company’s growth plans around health care management and proactive wellness programs. The Generalitat de Cataluña, a regional government in Spain, is planning on using SCE+ in a new IBM cloud datacenter in Spain to improve its healthcare system and share resources among its universities and town halls.

Details on SmartCloud Enterprise+

SCE+ is offered from IBM’s cloud centers in Japan, Brazil, Canada, France, Australia, the U.S. and Germany, giving clients broad geographic choice of where their data resides. IBM announced today the opening of its first cloud center in Spain, located in Barcelona, to service clients worldwide, which will be operative by mid-2013.

The SCE+ environment can have service levels that guarantee availability for each single OS-instance from 98.5 percent up to 99.9 percent.

New also is IBM Migration Services for SmartCloud Enterprise+, which helps clients migrate to cloud more quickly and cost effectively by determining which workloads are best suited to the SmartCloud Enterprise+ environment. Standardized and automation-assisted, IBM Migration Services are economically priced, aiming to deliver ROI in six to18 months.

About IBM Cloud Computing

IBM has helped thousands of clients adopt cloud models and manages millions of cloud-based transactions every day. With cloud, IBM helps clients rethink their IT and reinvent their business. IBM assists clients in areas as diverse as banking, communications, healthcare and government to build their own clouds or securely tap into IBM cloud-based business and infrastructure services. IBM is unique in bringing together key cloud technologies, deep process knowledge, a broad portfolio of cloud solutions, and a network of global delivery centers. For more information about cloud offerings from IBM, visithttp://www.ibm.com/smartcloud. Follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ibmcloud and on our blog at http://www.thoughtsoncloud.com.  

SAP and all SAP logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and in several other countries.

Business Objects, BusinessObjects and the Business Objects logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Business Objects in the United States and/or other countries. Business Objects is an SAP company.

All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.  

SAP Forward-looking Statement

Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “predict,” “should” and “will” and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.

Contact(s) information

Colleen Haikes 
IBM Media Relations 
1 (415) 545-4003 
chaikes@us.ibm.com

Nathan Strauss 
IBM Media Relations 
1 (917) 472-3382 
nathan.strauss@us.ibm.com

VMware Reports Record Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2012 Results


VMware Reports Record Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2012 Results

  • Annual Revenue Growth of 22% to a record $4.61 Billion with Fourth Quarter Year-over-Year Growth of 22% to a record $1.29 Billion
  • Annual Operating Margin 18.9%; Non-GAAP Operating Margin a record 32.4%.  Fourth Quarter Operating Margin 19.5%; Non-GAAP Operating Margin a record 32.8%

Supplemental Financial Tables 
Non-GAAP Financial Measures

PALO ALTO, Calif., January 28, 2013 — VMware, Inc. (NYSE: VMW), the global leader in virtualization and cloud infrastructure, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year of 2012:

  • Revenues for the fourth quarter were $1.29 billion, an increase of 22% from the fourth quarter of 2011. 
  • Operating income for the fourth quarter was $253 million, an increase of 18% from the fourth quarter of 2011. Non-GAAP operating income for the fourth quarter was $424 million, an increase of 25% from the fourth quarter of 2011.
  • Net income for the fourth quarter was $206 million, or $0.47 per diluted share, compared to $200 million, or $0.46 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2011.   Non-GAAP net income for the quarter was $349 million, or $0.81 per diluted share, compared to $266 million, or $0.62 per diluted share, for the fourth quarter of 2011. 
  • Fourth quarter Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $0.81, an increase of 30.6% from the fourth quarter of 2011.
  • Operating cash flows for the fourth quarter were $493 million, a decrease of 12% from the fourth quarter of 2011.  Free cash flows for the quarter were $412 million, a decrease of 19% from the fourth quarter of 2011.
  • Revenues for 2012 were $4.61 billion, an increase of 22% from 2011.
  • Operating income for 2012 was $872 million, an increase of 19% from 2011. Non-GAAP operating income for 2012 was $1.49 billion, an increase of 28% from 2011.
  • Net income for 2012 was $746 million, or $1.72 per diluted share, compared to $724 million, or $1.68 per diluted share, for 2011. Non-GAAP net income for 2012 was $1.24 billion, or $2.85 per diluted share, compared to $936 million, or $2.17 per diluted share, for 2011. 
  • Annual Non-GAAP diluted EPS was $2.85, an increase of 31.4% from 2011.
  • Operating cash flows for 2012 were $1.90 billion, a decrease of 6% and free cash flows for the year were $1.66 billion, a decrease of 7% from 2011. 
  • Cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $4.63 billion and unearned revenue was $3.46 billion as of December 31, 2012.

U.S. revenues for 2012 grew 22% to $2.23 billion from 2011.  International revenues grew 22% to $2.38 billion from 2011.

License revenues for 2012 were $2.09 billion, an increase of 13% from 2011.  Service revenues, which include software maintenance and professional services, were $2.52 billion for 2012, an increase of 31% from 2011. 

Annual 2013 total revenues are expected to be in the range of $5.230 billion to $5.350 billion, an increase of approximately 14 to 16 percent from 2012, and annual license revenues are expected to grow between 8 and 11 percent.

First quarter 2013 total revenues are expected to be in the range of $1.170 billion to $1.190 billion, an increase of approximately 11 to 13 percent from the first quarter 2012.

“2012 was a strong year for VMware, with solid Q4 results despite a tough economic environment,” said Pat Gelsinger, chief executive officer, VMware. “We see a tremendous market opportunity in 2013 and beyond, as we focus on what our customers value most: VMware’s role as a pioneer of virtualization technologies that radically simplify IT infrastructure from the data center to the virtual workspace.”

Recent Highlights & Strategic Announcements

  • On October 9, VMware unveiled an updated cloud management portfolio, including significant enhancements to the management products in the VMware vCloud® Suite.  VMware also introduced a new product to the suite, VMware vCloud Automation Center™ 5.1, to further simplify and automate governance services across multiple, heterogeneous clouds. The announcement strengthened the VMware vCloud® Suite 5.1– the first solution to deliver the software-defined datacenter.
  • On December 4, VMware announced the newly formed Pivotal Initiative, in which VMware and EMC are committing key existing technology, people and programs from both companies focused on Big Data and Cloud Application Platforms under one virtual organization.  The Pivotal Initiative will enable a new generation of workloads that can exploit the advancements VMware is driving with the software-defined datacenter, the de facto infrastructure at the heart of cloud computing, and with end-user computing.
  • In December, VMware established the Network and Security Virtualization group internally to align operations, engineering and go to market efforts to drive demand for next generation networking solutions associated with the software-defined datacenter.  The Company appointed Stephen Mullaney, formerly CEO of Nicira, as vice president and general manager of the new organization.

VMware plans to host a conference call today to review its fourth quarter and full year 2012 results and to discuss its financial outlook.  The call is scheduled to begin at 2:00 p.m. PT/ 5:00 p.m. ET and can be accessed via the Web athttp://ir.vmware.com. The webcast will be available live, and a replay will be available following completion of the live broadcast for approximately 60 days. 

# # #

About VMware

VMware is the leader in virtualization and cloud infrastructure solutions that enable businesses to thrive in the Cloud Era. Customers rely on VMware to help them transform the way they build, deliver and consume Information Technology resources in a manner that is evolutionary and based on their specific needs. With 2012 revenues of $4.61 billion, VMware has more than 480,000 customers and 55,000 partners.  The company is headquartered in Silicon Valley with offices throughout the world and can be found online at www.vmware.com.

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IBM Smart Cloud Enterprise+ cloud-based solution helps reduce IT spendings

IBM Delivers New Services to Help Clients Move Enterprise Applications to the Cloud

 

Financial, healthcare, government and electronics clients tap IBM SmartCloud Enterprise+;

IBM SmartCloud for SAP Applications now available globally


ARMONK, N.Y. – 29 January 2013: IBM (NYSE:IBM) today announced global availability for its cloud service on five continents—plus a
new center opening in Spain—based on its industry-leading sourcing business to host SAP® applications and other core operations. Now clients can turn to cloud computing for enterprise applications while reducing the overall cost of IT and at the same time, expanding online access and investing in innovative analytics, social business and mobile computing.

 

Many organizations are eager to leverage the economic advantages of cloud computing to run their critical applications on the cloud. These applications require deep technical expertise, around-the-clock customer service, tight security and ongoing maintenance – features typically found in IT sourcing arrangements but not in the “one-size-fits-all” model of self-service clouds.

 

To address this, IBM developed an Infrastructure-as-a-Service cloud built on decades of hosting experience gained by being the world’s largest provider of IT sourcing services with more than 1,000 clients. Called IBM SmartCloud Enterprise+ (SCE+), the service combines the best features of sourcing – high service level agreements, security and reliability – with the best features of cloud – elasticity and subscription-based pricing.

This service offers the same level of assurance normally associated with a hosted service to make sure clients can always access their core applications for ERP, CRM, analytics, social business and mobile computing from the cloud. The new service goes beyond the infrastructure offered as a service with typical public clouds. With this cloud service, IBM also helps manage patch updates and identity management, improving security, which analysts often cite as an inhibitor to cloud adoption.

“This is a logical evolution of IBM’s sourcing business that gives us an advantage both in our services relationships and the cloud market as we define a new enterprise-grade cloud today,” said Jim Comfort, general manager of IBM SmartCloud Services. “Our clients want sophisticated, economical cloud-based services that provide the same quality and service level as a private, hosted IT environment. With that assurance, they can focus more on driving business value from their data and operations, and less on managing their IT." 

An Enterprise-Grade Cloud Service—SmartCloud for SAP Applications

IBM is announcing today that IBM SmartCloud for SAP Applications, an enterprise service unique to IBM, is available globally.

As customers expand their use of SAP applications to more business processes, such as marketing campaigns based on Big Data, they often will benefit from more systems and greater management. Operating and managing IT environments running SAP solutions requires an advanced infrastructure and strong SAP operational skills.

IBM SmartCloud for SAP Applications automates and standardizes provisioning of IT environments, and can accelerate service delivery with expert certified staff. The SmartCloud services for SAP applications delivers 99.7 percent availability based on a global delivery model to support cloud-based systems around the clock. This service is available for SAP Business Suite software and the SAP BusinessObjects™ solution portfolio as an enterprise-class, fully managed Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS) offering for running SAP solutions in a production environment.

"IBM's new cloud service for SAP applications exemplifies our two companies' work together in the last 40 years in delivering enterprise value to thousands of clients," said Dr. Vishal Sikka, member of the SAP Executive Board, Technology and Innovation. "Cloud computing is helping our clients transform their IT infrastructures and businesses. We are confident that our partnership with IBM – using their SmartCloud platform and our business applications – will help drive differentiated value to clients around the globe."

In addition, IBM is marrying its Global Business Services deep expertise, tools and processes with SmartCloud for SAP applications to deliver LifeCycle as a Service. This can transform implementations of SAP applications end to end – from sandbox to production. With this service, IBM takes responsibility and control of the SAP applications and provides management, including software patching of SAP solutions as well as support for the underlying operating system, database and middleware.

Clients may set up their SAP solutions development and test operations on IBM’s public cloud service – SmartCloud Enterprise. Then those SAP applications can be transitioned to the SCE+ platform for production to further assure higher availability of the operations.

 

Client wins

 

IBM has clients in finance, manufacturing, telecommunications, electronics, government and healthcare using SCE+.  For example, IBM SCE+ is the cloud platform powering the Philips Smart TV platform for Internet services, which delivers greater interactive services to millions of TV viewers in more than 30 countries in Europe, as well as Brazil and Argentina.

“We needed a cloud computing environment resilient enough to support unexpected demands at any given time when millions of TV viewers access a variety of services on our network,” said Albert Mombarg, head of Philips Smart TV at
TP Vision, a joint venture between Philips and TV manufacturer TPV. “IBM SmartCloud Enterprise+ provides an economic, flexible way to create new services for our viewers and we expect it to transform the way we deliver Philips Smart TV and drive ongoing business innovation."  

 

Healthcare is also well suited for SCE+. Summit Health, a health care management company, is tapping IBM SCE+ to support the company’s growth plans around health care management and proactive wellness programs. The Generalitat de Cataluña, a regional government in Spain, is planning on using SCE+ in a new IBM cloud datacenter in Spain to improve its healthcare system and share resources among its universities and town halls.

Details on SmartCloud Enterprise+

SCE+ is offered from IBM’s cloud centers in Japan, Brazil, Canada, France, Australia, the U.S. and Germany, giving clients broad geographic choice of where their data resides. IBM announced today the opening of its first cloud center in Spain, located in Barcelona, to service clients worldwide, which will be operative by mid-2013.

The SCE+ environment can have service levels that guarantee availability for each single OS-instance from 98.5 percent up to 99.9 percent.

New also is IBM Migration Services for SmartCloud Enterprise+, which helps clients migrate to cloud more quickly and cost effectively by determining which workloads are best suited to the SmartCloud Enterprise+ environment. Standardized and automation-assisted, IBM Migration Services are economically priced, aiming to deliver ROI in six to18 months.

About IBM Cloud Computing

IBM has helped thousands of clients adopt cloud models and manages millions of cloud-based transactions every day. With cloud, IBM helps clients rethink their IT and reinvent their business. IBM assists clients in areas as diverse as banking, communications, healthcare and government to build their own clouds or securely tap into IBM cloud-based business and infrastructure services. IBM is unique in bringing together key cloud technologies, deep process knowledge, a broad portfolio of cloud solutions, and a network of global delivery centers. For more information about cloud offerings from IBM, visit http://www.ibm.com/smartcloud. Follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ibmcloud and on our blog at http://www.thoughtsoncloud.com.

 

SAP and all SAP logos are trademarks or registered trademarks of SAP AG in Germany and in several other countries.

Business Objects, BusinessObjects and the Business Objects logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Business Objects in the United States and/or other countries.  Business Objects is an SAP company.

All other product and service names mentioned are the trademarks of their respective companies.

 

SAP Forward-looking Statement

Any statements contained in this document that are not historical facts are forward-looking statements as defined in the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words such as “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “forecast,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “predict,” “should” and “will” and similar expressions as they relate to SAP are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. SAP undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from expectations The factors that could affect SAP's future financial results are discussed more fully in SAP's filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC"), including SAP's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of their dates.

 

 

Microsoft Releases Office 365 Home Premium

Microsoft Releases Office 365 Home Premium
Jan. 29, 2013
New consumer cloud service works across devices to help busy people simplify their lives and get more done.

NEW YORK — Jan. 29, 2013 — Microsoft Corp. today announced worldwide availability of Office 365 Home Premium, a reinvention of the company’s flagship Office product line for consumers. Office 365 Home Premium is a cloud service designed for busy households and people juggling ever-increasing work and family responsibilities. The new offering includes the latest and most complete set of Office applications; works across up to five devices, including Windows tablets, PCs and Macs; and comes with extra SkyDrive storage and Skype calling — all for US$99.99 for an annual subscription, the equivalent of US$8.34 per month.

“Today’s launch of Office 365 Home Premium marks the next big step in Microsoft’s transformation to a devices and services business,” said Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft. “This is so much more than just another release of Office. This is Office reinvented as a consumer cloud service with all the full-featured Office applications people know and love, together with impressive new cloud and social benefits.”

Watch how the Office you know and trust has transformed.

Microsoft also announced it will now deliver many new features and services to the cloud first, transforming the company’s traditional three-year release cycle. Now, new features and services stream to subscribers as soon as they are ready, keeping subscribers always up to date while eliminating the hassles of upgrading.

“This is a major leap forward,” said Kurt DelBene, president of the Microsoft Office Division. “People’s needs change rapidly, and Office 365 Home Premium will change with them.”

Simultaneously, Microsoft today released Office 365 University for college or university students, faculty and staff at a price of just US$79.99 for a four-year subscription — the equivalent of US$1.67 per month. Globally, the company also released updated versions of the traditional Office suite: Office Home and Student 2013, Office Home and Business 2013 and Office Professional 2013. Office 365 for businesses will be released globally with new capabilities on Feb. 27.

Time to Do the Things You Want

In a recent global survey,* nearly 60 percent of people said they don’t have the time to do the things they want to do, and more than 80 percent said they could save one or more hours a day if they were better organized. Office 365 Home Premium is designed to help people be more productive from virtually anywhere and find the flexibility to do the things they want.


“Between kids and career, I’m never completely at home or completely at work — and thanks to technology, that suits me just fine,” said Jen Singer, an author, blogger and mom of two teen boys. “With Office 365 Home Premium, I can work around my kids’ schedules, so I can drive the soccer carpool, coordinate errands while at a doctor’s office and still hit my deadlines at work. And, with one subscription for everyone in my family, it’s an absolute steal.”

To help people find more time to do the things they want, Microsoft is introducing Time to 365 (http://www.office.com/timeto365), a new crowd-sourced website where people can find and share tips, tricks, ideas and inspiration from around the world. Contributors include experts such as “techorating” pro Janna Robinson (http://www.jannarobinson.com) and everyday working parents who have found ways to simplify their lives. Tips on the site include, for example, an idea for organizing your grocery list with OneNote on your phone, a pointer on how to pick the right-sized TV for your living room, and ways to use Office applications to help plan a child’s birthday party.

About Office 365 Home Premium

Office 365 Home Premium is available in 162 markets in 21 languages and includes the following:

• The latest and most complete set of Office applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote, Outlook, Publisher and Access

• One license for the entire household to use Office on up to five devices, including Windows tablets, PCs or Macs, and Office on Demand available from any Internet-connected PC**

• An additional 20 GB of SkyDrive cloud storage, nearly three times the amount available with a free SkyDrive account

• 60 free Skype world calling minutes per month to call mobile phones, landlines or PCs around the world***

• Future upgrades, so you always use the latest time-saving technology

People can learn more about Office 365 Home Premium or try it free for 30 days athttp://www.office.com.

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

* Microsoft surveyed more than 10,000 people in over 20 countries.

** App availability varies by operating system, device and language.

*** Skype world minutes not available in all countries. Calls to select countries.

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 at http://www.microsoft.com/news/contactpr.mspx.

New BlackBerry World for BlackBerry 10 to Include Extensive Catalogue of Songs, Latest Movies and TV Shows

New BlackBerry World for BlackBerry 10 to Include Extensive Catalogue of Songs, Latest Movies and TV Shows

Unified Multimedia Storefront Will Carry Music and Video Content from All Major Studios, Labels and Broadcasters

Waterloo, ON – Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ: RIMM; TSX:RIM) today announced that the new BlackBerry® World™ storefront (formally BlackBerry App World™) for BlackBerry 10 will offer one of the most robust music and video catalogs in mobile today. The new BlackBerry World will include an extensive catalog of songs as well as movies and TV shows, with most movies coming to the store the same day they are released on DVD, and next day availability of many current TV series. The competitive offering will feature content from all major studios, music labels and top local broadcast networks. Customers will be able to preview tracks and access the content using multiple payment options.*

“Music and video content is an integral part of a rich mobile experience. People want easy and convenient access to their favorite music, movies and TV shows wherever they are,” said Frank Boulben, Chief Marketing Officer at Research In Motion. “RIM is committed to working with content providers to bring the best, most up-to-date content to our customers with BlackBerry 10, and to make it easy for them to get what they want.”

The video download and rental section in BlackBerry World will initially be available in the US, UK and Canada. Varying by region and distributor, customers will have access to movies from the following studios and independents: 20th Century Fox, Entertainment One (eOne), Lionsgate, MGM, National Film Board of Canada, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (US), Starz Digital Media, STUDIOCANAL, The Walt Disney Studios, Universal Pictures (UK), Warner Bros. Customers will also have access to TV shows from the following broadcasters and studios: ABC Studios, BBC Worldwide, CBC/Radio-Canada, CBS, DHX Media, ITV, National Geographic, NBCUniversal (UK), Nelvana, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (US), Starz Digital Media, Twentieth Century Fox Television, Univision Communications Inc, and Warner Bros. 

The BlackBerry World storefront’s DRM-free music download section will feature an extensive catalog from all major and independent labels including: 4AD Records, Domino Recording Company, finetunes, Matador Records, [PIAS] Entertainment Group, Rough Trade Records, Sony Music Entertainment, The Orchard, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, XL Recordings and Zebralution. The music section will initially be available in 18 countries: Canada, USA, UK, Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, Australia, India, Malaysia, New Zealand and Singapore.

Useful Links

BlackBerry World http://appworld.blackberry.com/webstore/

BlackBerry 10 Sign Up Page http://global.blackberry.com/blackberry-10.html

* BlackBerry® ID required. For more information please visit http://www.blackberry.com/bbid/

###

 

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.

 

BlackBerry, RIM, Research In Motion and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of Research In Motion Limited and are registered and/or used in the U.S. and countries around the world. All other brands, names and marks are the property of their respective owners. RIM is not responsible for any third party products or services.

Global Survey: Companies Enable Employee Use of Consumer Technologies; Report Positive Impact on Sales, Profits and Employee Satisfaction

Global Survey: Companies Enable Employee Use of Consumer Technologies; Report Positive Impact on Sales, Profits and Employee Satisfaction

Progressive Companies Accept New Work Approaches, Apply New Business Processes and Realize Results

SEATTLE, WA--(Marketwire - Jan 29, 2013) - Avanade, a global business technology solutions and managed services provider, today released results from a global survey of nearly 600 C-level executives and IT decision-makers in 19 countries. Research findings show that widespread use of consumer technologies in the enterprise are having a sweeping impact on traditional ways of doing business and the results companies can achieve.

Traditionally, technology use at work has been dictated by business requirements. Executives authorized technology purchases based on corporate needs and objectives. For example, new regulations led to email archiving systems and bigger customer rosters led to centralized customer relationship management (CRM) systems. More recently, this dynamic has shifted from enterprise-driven to employee-driven technologies, especially in the area of mobile devices and consumer technologies.

Businesses are Enabling Consumer Technologies 
Rather than shut out mobile and consumer technologies, Avanade's survey shows companies are not only embracing these technologies in the workplace, they're enabling them.

  • More than six in ten companies (61 percent) report the majority of their employees now use personal computing devices in the workplace.
  • More than half (54 percent) report the majority of their employees use smartphones for basic work tasks such as reading email, online documents and calendar invitations.
  • One-third (33 percent) report the majority of their employees use tablets for basic work tasks.
  • More surprisingly, the exact same number of respondents -- 33 percent -- report the majority of their employees are using tablets foradvanced business purposes such as CRM, project management, content creation and data analysis.

Progressive Companies are Realizing the Most Reward
The most progressive companies that are redesigning how work gets done are building entirely new business processes around these trends to reap new benefits. Avanade calls this "Work Redesigned." According to Avanade's research:

  • More than 7 out of 10 (71 percent) companies surveyed have changed at least one business process -- including processes in IT management, sales and marketing, HR and customer services -- in an effort to accommodate emerging work trends including the use of mobile and consumer technologies.
  • Notably, 20 percent of companies have changed 4 or more business processes to capitalize on the rise of mobility and consumer technologies at work.

These same progressive companies -- businesses that have enabled emerging mobile and consumer technologies and have established progressive policies and business processes to support them -- are seeing measurable impact and positive results on profitability, product development and employee satisfaction. More specifically Avanade's research reveals these companies are reporting:

  • Stronger sales -- Companies are deriving greater value from collaboration technologies. They are 73 percent more likely to report improved sales and new customer acquisition through the use of their collaboration tools than other companies.
  • Increased profits -- Companies that have adopted emerging mobile and consumer technologies are 54 percent more likely to report increased profits than businesses not leveraging these technologies, policies and processes.
  • Greater agility -- Similarly, those same companies are 58 percent more likely to report improvement in bringing products and services to market.
  • Improved employee satisfaction -- These companies are 37 percent more likely to report improved employee satisfaction. They also report a greater emphasis on creativity and greater ability to solve problems.

Mick Slattery, executive vice president, Avanade Global Service Lines, said, "The nature of work and how business gets done is going through a transformation. Consumer technologies in the workplace are a significant catalyst for this transformation. Executives are capitalizing on the opportunity these technologies offer by adjusting business processes and updating policies with measurable results in areas such as customer service, profitable growth, happier employees and bringing new products and services to market faster."

Closing the Business and IT Gap
Avanade's research also uncovered a significant gap in views between business leaders and IT regarding the role of mobile and consumer technologies in the enterprise. The disconnect between C-level executives and their IT staff may be the biggest factor limiting more widespread redesign of business processes enabled by mobile and consumer technologies. Security is often a chief concern with new technology adoption. However, security concerns reveal a disconnect between IT decision makers and business executives.

  • Seventy-one percent of C-level executives believed the rest of the company could accomplish work tasks outside of the office walls -- 39 percent higher than the rate of IT staff and business unit leaders who reported the same.
  • IT decision makers are focused on minimizing potential risks (55 percent) with personal computing technologies at work. However, the C-suite's primary concern is capitalizing on the potential benefits (56 percent) these employee-owned devices can bring to the enterprise.

Successful companies are bridging these two views to achieve the best results. "This disconnect is not uncommon -- executives see opportunities with new technologies while IT seeks to protect the company's assets," added Slattery. "Our experience shows us that the type of transformation these technologies can deliver must start with a close partnership between business and IT leadership."

To learn more about Avanade's view for new ways of getting work done, please visit www.avanade.com/workredesigned.

About Avanade 
Avanade provides business technology solutions and managed services that connect insight, innovation and expertise in Microsoft® technologies to help customers realize results. Our people have helped thousands of organizations in all industries improve business agility, employee productivity, and customer loyalty. Avanade combines the collective business, technical and industry expertise of its worldwide network of experts with the rigor of an industrialized delivery model to provide high quality solutions using proven and emerging technologies with flexible deployment models-on premises, cloud-based or outsourced. Avanade, which is majority owned by Accenture, was founded in 2000 by Accenture LLP and Microsoft Corporation and has 17,000 professionals in more than 20 countries. Additional information can be found at www.avanade.com.

About the Survey
Avanade's survey was conducted by Wakefield Research (www.wakefieldresearch.com), an independent research firm. It surveyed 599 C-level executives, business unit leaders, and IT decision makers, ages 18 and older, at the top companies in the following countries: U.S., Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Norway, Singapore, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the U.K. The study was conducted between August 20 and September 13, 2012.

Avanade and the Avanade logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of Avanade Inc. Other product, service, or company names mentioned herein are the trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

The Department of Human Resources and Skills Development (HRSDC) to provide credit protection for clients with information on missing hard drive

Department to provide credit protection for clients with information on missing hard drive

Ottawa, Ontario, January 25, 2013 — The Department of Human Resources and Skills Development (HRSDC) is responding to the concerns of Canadians and providing credit protection at no cost to Canada Student Loans Program (CSLP) clients whose personal information was contained in a missing hard drive. 

In addition to the strong measures that the Minister recently directed the Department to implement, the Department has contracted with Equifax, a credit bureau, to provide the affected clients with credit and identity protection services for a period of up to six years. 

“While there is no evidence that information has been fraudulently accessed or used, I want to reassure Canadians that we are serious about protecting their personal information,” said Minister Finley.  “That is why we will provide potentially affected individuals with credit protection at no cost, which will flag their credit files and help detect any potential compromise of their personal information.”

While HRSDC has no evidence that any of the information has been accessed or used for fraudulent purposes, those clients who could potentially have been affected by this incident have the choice to request the credit protection services, and can contact the HRSDC call centre at 1-866-885-1866 within North America.  For calls from outside of North America, affected citizens can call 1-416-572-1113 and dial 0 to speak to an operator in order to reverse the charges. Callers with a hearing or speech impairment and who use a teletypewriter (TTY) can call at 1-800-263-5883

To protect privacy, the Department is asking that affected individuals call to provide their consent for their information to be shared with Equifax. The process will be simple and efficient.

A hard drive containing personal information on approximately 583,000 individuals who were Canada Student Loans clients from 2000-2006 has been deemed missing from an HRSDC office in Gatineau, Quebec, although the search is ongoing.  

Credit protection services will be arranged once clients make contact with the HRSDC call centre. 

HRSDC continues to take all efforts to reassure Canadians that rigorous new protocols are in place to protect their data.

 

– 30 –

 

This news release is available in alternative formats on request.

For further information (media only): 

Alyson Queen
Director of Communications Office of Minister Finley
819-994-2482

Media Relations Office
Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
819-994-5559

Follow us on Twitter

 


 


Backgrounder


 

Services to be provided to affected Canadians by Equifax Canada

Equifax is a respected, global leader in credit management, and has the tools to help protect Canadians’ credit files and help detect any potential compromise of their personal information.  This company will be offering credit and identity protection services to potentially affected clients for a period of up to six years. 

More specifically:

  • EquifaxCanada will protect credit files with notations that information may have been exposed and alert messages will be placed on credit files. This notation will assist in preventing any misuse of personal information. The notation will stay on credit files for a period of six years unless clients choose to have it removed. This flag will alert credit grantors that data may have been compromised, and lenders will then take further steps to verify the person’s identity before granting credit.  

Why contracting with Equifax credit bureau?

Human Resources and Skills Development Canada contracted the services of this credit bureau so that credit and identity protection services could be offered to affected clients. 

At this time, HRSDC has no evidence that any of the information on the hard drive has been accessed or used for fraudulent purposes.

Who will benefit from these credit protection services?

This credit and identity protection will be made available to the approximately 583,000 Canadians whose information was on a missing HRSDC hard drive containing information on Canada Student Loans clients.

How to register to receive these credit protection services

The Department is providing guidance on how to begin receiving the credit protection services from Equifax and has posted information on its website -http://www.canlearn.ca/eng/main/spotlighton/privacy/index.shtml.  HRSDC is seeking the consent of those potentially affected prior to providing their personal information to Equifax for the purposes of providing credit protection to affected clients.

Those wishing to receive this credit protection first need to provide their consent by calling the HRSDC toll free number at 1-866-885-1866 withinNorth America. For calls from outside ofNorth America, affected citizens can call 1-416-572-1113 and dial 0 to speak to an operator in order to reverse the charges. Callers with a hearing or speech impairment and who use a teletypewriter (TTY) can call at 1-800-263-5883.

No negative impacts on affected Canadians’ credit ratings

Having a notation added to a credit file will not have a negative impact on clients’ credit ratings.

Cost to affected Canadians

These credit and identity protection services will be made available for free to all Canadians potentially affected by the missing HRSDC hard drive. 

What else is HRSDC doing about this situation?

The Minister has directed that the overall policy for security and storage of personal information at HRSDC be strengthened and improved. The highlights are:

  • New, stricter protocols have been implemented. Portable hard drives are no longer permitted. Unapproved USB keys are not to be connected to the network;

  • Immediate risk assessments of all portable security devices used in the Department’s work environment to ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place; these assessments will continue on a regular, ongoing basis;

  • Mandatory training for all employees regarding the proper handling of sensitive information, including personal information;

  • Implementation of new data loss prevention technology, which can be configured to control or prevent the transfer of sensitive information;

  • Disciplinary measures implemented for staff, up to and including termination, should the strict codes of privacy and security not be followed.

In addition, HRSDC has initiated a number of other concrete measures in response:

  • SIN records on the Social Insurance Register have been annotated to indicate the SIN was involved in an incident of loss. The department will notify individuals for whom we have current contact information if there are any attempts to request changes to information on SIN records or to obtain a SIN card. The Government does not charge fees for monitoring Social Insurance Numbers.

  • The matter has been referred to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) by the Office of the Minister.

  • The Office of the Privacy Commissioner has also been informed of the incident.

  • The Department is currently investigating the missing hard drive, and search efforts continue. 

At this time, HRSDC has no evidence that any of the information on the hard drive has been accessed or used for fraudulent purposes.

All details on this incident and how Canadians can protect their personal information are available at http://www.canlearn.ca/eng/main/spotlighton/privacy/adi.shtml .

IBM Delivers New Software and Cloud Services to Accelerate Social Business

IBM Delivers New Software and Cloud Services to Accelerate Social Business


ARMONK, N.Y. - 28 Jan 2013: IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced new software and cloud-based services to help business leaders, such as chief marketing officers and chief human resource officers, advance their organization's transformation with the adoption of social business technology. The new offerings will help business leaders integrate IBM's industry-leading social networking and analytics technologies into their business processes to empower the 21st Century workforce and transform client experiences.

The new social software offerings will help companies gain deeper insights into big data generated through the use of social networks. Organizations applying analytics to their data for competitive advantage are more likely to substantially outperform their industry peers*. 

Today, leading organizations, including 61 percent of the Fortune 100, are licensed to use IBM's social business technologies to transform their front office business operations. This includes connecting employees globally to empower faster decision making and analyzing big data from sources such as Twitter, Facebook, blogs and public forums, to react swiftly to customer trends and outpace competitors. 

Just as social networking has flourished in the consumer realm, Forrester has identified social business as an emerging business category, with the social technology industry growing to $6.4 billion by 2016**. 

Increasingly, front-office leaders, such as chief human resource officers, are looking to form a smarter workforce to unlock human potential and unleash innovation. According to a recent IBM CEO study, 70 percent of companies surveyed cited human capital as the single biggest contributor to sustained economic value. 

At the same time, social media and predictive analytics have emerged as indispensable tools for CMOs, who are using technology to make the customer experience more intelligent, intuitive and individualized. According to the IBM CMO study, 82 percent of CMOs say they plan to increase their use of social media over the next three-to-five years to communicate with their clients. 

IBM's new software and cloud-based services include:

·        A new Web-based social networking environment that provides HR leaders with a better way to recruit and onboard new employees, while giving employees access to digital media and data in real-time, enabling faster decision making. 

·        Software to help marketing teams design sophisticated advertising campaigns and quickly publish those campaigns to leading social networks, resulting in a consistent customer experience through every online channel. 

·        The next release of IBM's industry-leading social networking platform will further enable users to access and analyze big data from inside and outside the organization, including Facebook, Twitter, audio and video. 

·        Already in beta, IBM is also announcing its plans to release the industry's first truly social email client incorporating file sharing, activity streams and a simplified user interface. This will be the first major release of Notes and Domino in five years. 

"IBM is revolutionizing front-office processes with the application of cognitive computing and advanced analytics," said Alistair Rennie, general manager, social business, IBM. "Social business has transitioned from being an emerging idea to a fundamental platform that clients everywhere are using to change the way they empower their employees and engage their customers." 

New software and services enabling the 21st Century workforce

Following its $1.3B acquisition of Kenexa in December 2012, IBM today announced a new Web-based social networking environment that is expected to integrate IBM's industry-leadingenterprise social networking platform with Kenexa's recruiting, on-boarding, learning and performance management solutions. 

The IBM Employee Experience Suite will help HR leaders attract, empower and motivate talent to address skill and resource gaps while enabling their workforce to deliver better results for their clients. For example, employees can use social networking, e-meeting and instant messaging capabilities to access applications and interactive rich media such as videos, resulting in improved collaboration and greater teaming across globally distributed teams. 

The Suite intends to integrate with Kenexa's Applicant Tracking System allowing HR leaders to more swiftly educate existing employees and identify prospective talent. HR leaders will be able to set up a recruiting site, use it to onboard employees, present training options, administer surveys to employees and manage performance. Prospective employees can view the HR data on the broadest range of mobile devices, helping HR departments reach an increasingly social-savvy and mobile workforce. 

"The combination of Kenexa and IBM shows great promise to change how HR attracts, retains and trains talent," said Ross Grossman, vice president, human resources, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. "In biotechnology, competition for top talent is fierce. We're excited about the potential to better attract talented people who fit our company culture and can really impact our business performance." 

Transforming the client experience

The rise of the social-savvy, empowered consumer has prompted organizations around the globe to use social business and analytics capabilities to improve the customer experience. IBM today announced new capabilities that allow marketing teams to easily design, test and optimize sophisticated advertising campaigns. 

For example, a new Social Media Publisher capability in IBM’s web experience software allows CMOs to push content, such as ad campaigns or promotions, to leading social networks with one simple click and without involving already resource strapped specialized IT teams. 

These new features will further strengthen IBM's smarter commerce portfolio, providing superior levels of customer service to clients around the globe. 

Social software for the enterprise

With today's news, IBM is introducing the next version of its social networking platform, IBM Connections. The new software will further enable users to access and analyze big data from inside and outside the organization, including Facebook, Twitter, audio and video. 

Available in March 2013, IBM Connections 4.5 will include embedded document management capabilities so that members of a network can access, analyze and act on wide ranges of data types in the context of their work to improve decision-making and business results. IBM Connections' Content Manager feature will allow teams and communities to harness an organization’s collective intelligence to solve business problems, increase productivity, and drive profit. 

IBM Connections clients have access to new social features in the cloud, including blogging and ideation in Communities and access to information. In addition, IBM Connections will include enhanced integration of social capabilities in the Microsoft Outlook client, allowing users to access their social data such as profiles, files, and communities directly in Microsoft Outlook. 

In December, IBM expanded its social business platform to include social document editing on-premises and in the cloud. The recently released IBM Docs, available on-premises and as part of the IBM SmartCloud for Social Business, allows browser users to simultaneously collaborate on word processing, spreadsheet and presentation documents to improve productivity. 

IBM also announced that it expects to ship IBM Notes and Domino Social Edition 9 in March 2013. IBM Notes and Domino 9 will be the industry's first truly social email client and delivers a social experience to users, whether using a browser or on the broadest range of mobile devices. IBM Notes and Domino are used by more than half of the Fortune 500. IBM mobile capabilities manage and support a variety of platforms, including Apple (iOS 6), Android, Microsoft Windows operating system, including Windows and Blackberry smartphones (including BlackBerry 10). 

For more information about IBM's social business initiative and creating a smarter workforce, please visit http://www.ibm.com/press/socialbusiness or follow #IBMSocialBiz and #IBMConnect on Twitter.

 

*Analytics: The Widening Divide, Report by MIT Sloan Management Review and IBM Institute for Business Value, 2011.

** Social Enterprise Apps Redefine Collaboration," Forrester Research, Inc., November 30, 2011. 

Contact(s) information

Dana Anastasi 
IBM Media Relations 
1 (857) 259-0866 
danastasi@us.ibm.com




























































































Canadian Consumers Need Better Disclosure About Internet Speed and Performance Claims

Canadian Consumers Need Better Disclosure About Internet Speed and Performance Claims

WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2013

OTTAWA – Canadian consumers have high expectations of advertised internet speed claims but receive little information from internet service providers to judge them on, according to the Public Interest Advocacy Centre’s (PIAC) latest report: “Transparency in Broadband Advertising to Canadian Consumers.”

The report examines broadband internet advertisements such as commonly used “up to” speed claims and sought consumers’ views on whether these advertisements are clear.

“When an internet package advertises a maximum speed, Canadian consumers expect the maximum speed advertised will be achievable at their home connection,” according to Janet Lo, Legal Counsel at the Public Interest Advocacy Centre and co-author of the report.

PIAC’s survey gauged consumer expectations towards “up to” speed advertisements by walking consumers through a series of sample advertisements to assess whether consumer impressions shifted after reading a disclaimer about the speed claim achievability. In each scenario, a majority of consumers mistakenly believed they would achieve the maximum advertised speed, no matter the style or clarity of the “up to” speed disclaimer.

“Internet service providers provide very little information to consumers about technical factors and their effect on the achievability of the advertised speed claim,” noted Lo. “The fine print is confusing to consumers and does not tell consumers how to check the actual speeds they are receiving.”

Further complicating matters is a lack of consumer awareness. PIAC’s survey showed 75% of respondents did not know which speed tier to which they subscribe, even though 83% of consumers identified download speed as very important or somewhat important when choosing an ISP for their home. PIAC’s report therefore suggests that consumers are not fully and effectively informed about internet speed and performance claims even though they have high expectations with respect to the achievability of promised “up to” internet speeds.

PIAC’s report recommends that ISPs provide more complete and precise disclosure about various aspects of internet performance and the reliability of these claims. It also recommends that ISPs ensure disclosures are prominent in advertising and in consumer contracts.

PIAC’s report recommends that the Competition Bureau of Canada consider specific enforcement guidelines focused on how advertising claims about internet speed performance are conveyed to consumers. The report further recommends that the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) monitor the retail internet market by collecting performance data on Canadian retail internet service speeds and comparing that data to advertised claims.

The full report is available for download at:


Download File:piac_transparency_broadband_ads_final.pdf [size: 1.04 mb]


The full report is available in French for download at:

PIAC received funding from Industry Canada’s Contributions Program for Non-Profit Consumer and Voluntary Organizations to prepare the report. The views expressed in the report are not necessarily those of Industry Canada or the Government of Canada.

For more information please contact:
Janet Lo
Legal Counsel
Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC)
(613) 562-4002 ext. 24
jlo@piac.ca
www.piac.ca

Rogers expects to power over one million machine-to-machine connections in 2013

Rogers expects to power over one million machine-to-machine connections in 2013

Rogers to deliver cloud-based data analytics solution to business customers this year

New Wireless Innovation Centre in Toronto contributes to accelerating innovation and adoption of connected wireless technology in Canada

TORONTO, Jan. 28, 2013 /CNW/ - Rogers Communications announced today that it expects to power over one million Machine-to-Machine connections and that it will bring a cloud-based hosted data analytics offering to market before the end of this year. The company plans to grow its traditional M2M business to include big data and analytics as well as professional and managed services, and expects the market revenue for the overall M2M ecosystem in Canada will reach $1 billion in the next three years.

At a roundtable discussion today at the new Toronto Rogers Wireless Innovation Centre, Nadir Mohamed, Rogers President and CEO, was joined by SAP and leaders from Canadian healthcare and retail industries including Women's College Hospital and Canadian Tire. The discussion focused on the impact connected technology and the ability to tap into big data and analytics will have on Canadian businesses and consumers.

"Internet is the foundation for a truly digital world and as our lives become increasingly connected we will see an explosion of valuable data for businesses, governments, healthcare providers and consumers," said Nadir Mohamed, Rogers President and CEO. "As a business, we expect to surpass one million M2M connections before end of year. To position Canada at the forefront, we are making investments in networks, strategic partnerships, and big data and analytics platforms to build a robust ecosystem that will power a connected future for Canada."

As part of its commitment to accelerate the adoption and development of connected technology, Rogers has opened a new Wireless Innovation Centre in Toronto. The space provides an interactive experience with the latest machine-to-machine (M2M) technology and enterprise mobility applications from partners. Solutions showcased include wireless asset tracking, wireless backup connectivity, digital signage, video surveillance, point of sale and data analytics applications. Hands-on demos of technology that businesses and consumers use today are also featured including ATMs, parking meters and GPS locating tools. Rogers expects vertical industries will increasingly embrace these types of connected solutions - particularly healthcare, retail, transportation, energy and utilities.

"The future of enterprise mobility is about bringing together connected, mobile devices with applications that allow crucial data to be gathered," said Tony Olvet, Group Vice President, IDC Canada. "Rogers is contributing to the advancement and growth of Canada's wireless industry by not only investing in network technology, but also resources to support and drive innovation."

In addition to Toronto, Rogers has also opened Wireless Innovation Centres in both Montreal and in Vancouver. To learn more about Rogers M2M business, visit www.rogersm2mbusiness.com.

Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements, Risks and Assumptions: This release includes "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws and assumptions concerning the expected continued deployment of M2M connections and entry into cloud-based hosted data analytics as detailed above.  We caution that all forward-looking information is inherently subject to change and uncertainty and that actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. A number of risks, uncertainties and other factors could cause actual results and events to differ materially from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking information or could cause our current objectives, strategies and intentions to change, including but not limited to customer acceptance and adoption, technology advances and arrangements with certain technology suppliers, and the potential emergence of competing offerings. Many of these factors are beyond our control and current expectation or knowledge. Should one or more of these risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, our objectives, strategies or intentions change, or any other factors or assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, our actual results and our plans could vary significantly from what we currently foresee. Accordingly, we warn investors to exercise caution when considering statements containing forward-looking information and that it would be unreasonable to rely on such statements as creating legal rights regarding our future results or plans. We are under no obligation (and we expressly disclaim any such obligation) to update or alter any statements containing forward-looking information, the factors or assumptions underlying them, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law. All of the forward-looking information in this earnings release is qualified by the cautionary statements herein.

About Rogers Communications
Rogers Communications is a diversified Canadian communications and media company. We are Canada's largest provider of wireless voice and data communications services and one of Canada's leading providers of cable television, high speed Internet and telephony services. Through Rogers Media we are engaged in radio and television broadcasting, televised shopping, magazines and trade publications, sports entertainment, and digital media. We are publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: RCI.A and RCI.B) and on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: RCI). For further information about the Rogers group of companies, please visit rogers.com.

SOURCE: Rogers Communications Inc.

For further information:

Allison Fitton, Rogers Communications
416-935-8860
allison.fitton@rci.rogers.com