Toronto-based Constellation Software's Volaris Group Acquires Travis Software Corp.

Constellation Software's Volaris Group Acquires Travis Software Corp.

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Dec. 31, 2012) - Constellation Software Inc. ("Constellation") (TSX:CSU) today announced that its wholly owned division Volaris Group ("Volaris") has acquired the assets of Travis Software Corp. ("Travis"), a leading provider of employee health and benefits administration software. The acquisition is Volaris' first investment in the Benefits Administration vertical market.

Travis was founded in 1986 shortly after the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) gave workers and their families who lose employment-related health benefits the right to temporarily continue health coverage at group rates. The company's COBRA administration software solutions - WebCOBRA and TravisCOBRA - help to manage COBRA compliance and are used by more than 500 customers today throughout the United States. In addition, Travis also provides a suite of complementary software solutions for managing employee health and benefits including TravisFlex and TBILL.

"Travis Software is a great business," said Mark Miller, CEO of Volaris Group. "They are focused on delivering specific solutions to help companies address and manage the complexities involved in COBRA compliance and they have established a solid reputation in the marketplace. This focus and reputation positions them well for future growth and we look forward to supporting them with their goal of becoming a larger provider of enterprise wide health and benefits software."

About Volaris Group

Volaris acquires, strengthens and grows vertical market technology companies enabling them to be clear leaders within their focused industry. Volaris companies provide specialized, mission-critical solutions to vertical markets around the world including Agri-Food, Asset Management and Logistics, Cultural Collections Management, Justice, Marine, People Transportation and Rental Management. Volaris is an operating group of Constellation Software Inc. Learn more at www.volarisgroup.com or call 905.629.5297.

About Constellation Software Inc.

Constellation's common shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "CSU". Constellation Software is an international provider of market leading software and services to a number of industries across both the public and private sectors. The Company acquires, manages and builds vertical market software businesses that provide mission-critical software solutions. Further information about Constellation may be obtained from its website at www.csisoftware.com.

Innovative Query Interview (QI) Communication Portal Released

Innovative Query Interview (QI) Communication Portal Released [2012-12-23]

 

 

Toronto, Ontario -- Dragon Eye System Company ( "DESC) is pleased to announce that its innovative Query Interview service portal: WorldIntervieW.net is officially launched. WolrdIntervieW.net is embedded with an innovative Query Interview (QI) communication tool and can create word or pdf document.


For customer in recruiting industry, interviewer can schedule interview to interviewees. Interviewee can respondinterview anywhere anytime online.  The content of the interview can be text, audio or video. This will totally reduce the time and financial cost both for interviewer and interviewee. This is great tool for screening interview. Screening interview can save more time than screening resume. Screening interview is more focused on the required information. Resumes present more details and more similar information about the interviewees. And more, with the specific service in our portal, the interview result can be viewed by selected third parties. This kind collaboration will greatly reduced the repeated interviews and speed up recruiting.

For interviewee customer, he/she can use it as a kind self-promotion tool or self-training tool besides using it to answer interview. He/she can schedule an interview for himself/herself and then practice. He/she can download and send out or publish the self-interview result.


For customers in media industry, journalist can use it to collect any kind news from audience either privately or publicly. It can enrich the journalist's capability greatly. The news content can be text, audio or video.


For customers in education industry, trainer can schedule interview training or any other training assignment to trainees. Trainer can use it as an assignment tool and testing tool. The education industry can be modernized with this service.


For customers in consulting industry, consultant can arrange their customers to schedule their service query with this service portal. 


Then the consultant can offer their consulting service by answering their query.

For sales and marketing professional, they can embed a specific service icon or link in their sales marketing campaign materials either online or offline to collect customers' real query and lead for real transaction.


For every people who is seeking an open and safe communication way with others, they can embed a specific service icon or link in their profile or material either online or offline. They can be reached without knowing their email or phone.


It's like a Magic Cube. WorldIntervieW.net  has more features to meet different customers' needs.


Contact:

Robert Liu 

Dragon Eye System Company

http://www.dragoneyesystem.com

Tel/Fax: 416-6864349

Robertliu@dragoneyesystem.com

BluePhoenix Solutions Partners with WAZ Informatique Inc. to Deliver IT Legacy Modernization Solutio

BluePhoenix Solutions Partners with WAZ Informatique Inc. to Deliver IT Legacy Modernization Solutio

Posted 4:05PM 12/27/12Posted under: Investing

BluePhoenix Solutions Partners with WAZ Informatique Inc. to Deliver IT Legacy Modernization Solutions in Quebec, Canada

BluePhoenix and WAZ Informatique Inc. partner on two new modernization engagements

HERZLIA, Israel--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- BluePhoenix (www.bphx.com) (NAS: BPHX) , the leading provider of tools and services for modernizing legacy systems and applications, and WAZ Informatique Inc., a company specialized in providing Information Technology consulting services, announce that they have partnered to deliver legacy modernization solutions for several large Canadian clients. These clients have selected BluePhoenix Solutions for its innovative tools, proven methodology, and global experience to convert legacy mainframe applications to modern open standard platforms.


BluePhoenix and WAZ Informatique Inc. have partnered to provide legacy modernization technology and services for several Canadian customers. These engagements result in reduced IT operational costs, reduced operational risks, along with improved customer focused service and operations. What sets BluePhoenix and WAZ apart from the competitions is the automated technology that delivers consistent results and reliable milestones. The engagements have aggressive milestones and completion dates which satisfy strategic plans to incrementally modernize legacy mainframe environments.

"BluePhoenix can extend our modernization capabilities in Canada because of our strategic partnership with WAZ Informatique Inc. We are excited to work on these new projects with WAZ because of their capabilities and superior reputation throughout Quebec," said David Wurman, VP of Sales at BluePhoenix. "Our modernization technology and 20 years of global enterprise experience, along with local presence and credibility of WAZ Informatique Inc., are distinctive reasons for client selection of BluePhoenix modernization solutions."

"Our clients are very selective with the technology companies they hire. BluePhoenix has the innovative modernization tools that our clients demand to meet their requirements. BluePhoenix successfully completes modernization engagements with speed, precision and competence. We're excited to deliver these modernization projects in Canada," stated Frédéric Gingras, President of WAZ Informatique Inc.

About BluePhoenix Solutions

BluePhoenix Solutions Ltd. (NAS: BPHX) is the leading provider of legacy IT modernization conversion solutions. The BluePhoenix portfolio includes a comprehensive suite of tools and services from global IT asset assessment and impact analysis to automated database and application migration. Leveraging over 20 years of best-practice domain expertise, BluePhoenix works closely with its customers to ascertain which assets should be migrated, redeveloped, or wrapped for reuse as services or business processes, to protect and increase the value of their business applications and legacy systems with minimized risk and downtime.

BluePhoenix provides modernization solutions to companies from diverse industries and vertical markets such as automotive, banking and financial services, insurance, manufacturing, and retail. BluePhoenix has 6 offices in the USA, UK, Italy, Romania, and Israel.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements contained in this release may be deemed forward-looking statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and other Federal Securities laws. You can identify these and other forward-looking statements by the use of words such as "may," "will," "plans," "believes," "estimates," "expects," "predicts", "intends," the negative of such terms, or other comparable terminology. Because such statements deal with future events, plans, projections, or future performance of the Company, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's current expectations. These risks and uncertainties include but are not limited to: the effects of the global economic and financial trends; market demand for the Company's products; successful implementation of the Company's products; changes in the competitive landscape, including new competitors or the impact of competitive pricing and products; and such other risks and uncertainties as identified in BluePhoenix's most recent Annual Report on Form 20-F and other reports filed by it with the SEC. Except as otherwise required by law, BluePhoenix undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events.

This press release is also available at www.bphx.com. All names and trademarks are their owners' property.

anImage

BluePhoenix Solutions
Gigi Markowitz, +972-9-9526110
GMarkowitz@bphx.com
www.bphx.com

Nortel Announces Permanent Cease Trade Order

Nortel Announces Permanent Cease Trade Order

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Dec. 24, 2012) - Nortel* Networks Corporation (NNC) (OTCBB:NRTLQ) and Nortel Networks Limited (NNL) announced today that, further to their announcement of December 11, 2012, a permanent cease trade order (the "CTO") has been issued on December 24, 2012 by the Ontario Securities Commission. Other than being issued a permanent basis, the CTO is substantially similar to the temporary cease trade order issued by the OSC on December 11, 2012.

The CTO prohibits all trading in securities of both NNC and NNL, effective immediately, other than for: (i) trades made for nominal consideration for the purpose of permitting a security holder to crystallize a tax loss (a "tax loss trade"); or (ii) trades in notes of either NNC or NNL to an entity that qualifies as an "accredited investor" as that term is defined under applicable Canadian securities laws (an "accredited investor trade"). The aforementioned exceptions are subject to the further qualifications that: (1) in the case of a tax loss trade, a copy of the CTO is provided to the purchaser and the seller receives a written acknowledgement from the purchaser that the securities acquired remain subject to the CTO; and (2) in the case of an accredited investor trade in notes of NNC or NNL, the purchaser will be deemed (by reason of the issuance of this news release and the posting of the CTO on the Restructuring Document Centre of Ernst & Young Inc., as monitor, at http://documentcentre.eycan.com/Pages/Main.aspx?SID=89&Redirect=1) to have received notification of the terms of the CTO and deemed to have acknowledged to the seller that the notes acquired remain subject to the CTO.

The full text of the CTO accompanies this news release marked as Annex A.

NNC and NNL expect that other Canadian provincial or territorial securities regulators will issue permanent cease trade orders similar to the CTO.

About Nortel

For more information, visit Nortel on the Web at www.nortel-canada.com.

Certain statements in this press release may contain words such as "could", "expects", "may", "should", "will", "anticipates", "believes", "intends", "estimates", "targets", "plans", "envisions", "seeks" and other similar language and are considered forwardwww.nortel-canada.com News Release looking statements or information under applicable securities laws. These statements are based on Nortel's current expectations, estimates, forecasts and projections about the operating environment, economies and markets in which Nortel operates. These statements are subject to important assumptions, risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, and the actual outcome may be materially different. Nortel's assumptions, although considered reasonable by Nortel at the date of this press release, may prove to be inaccurate and consequently Nortel's actual results could differ materially from the expectations set out herein.

Actual results or events could differ materially from those contemplated in forward-looking statements as a result of the following: (i) risks and uncertainties relating to the Creditor Protection Proceedings including: (a) risks associated with Nortel's ability to: obtain required approvals and successfully consummate remaining divestitures; successfully conclude ongoing discussions for the sale of Nortel's remaining assets; develop, obtain required approvals for, and implement a court approved plan; allocation of the sale proceeds of our businesses and assets among the various Nortel entities participating in these sales may take considerable time to resolve; resolve ongoing issues with creditors and other third parties whose interests may differ from Nortel's; maintain adequate cash on hand in each of its jurisdictions to fund remaining work within the jurisdiction during the Creditor Protection Proceedings; obtain any further required approvals from the Canadian Monitor, the U.K. Administrators, the U.S. Principal Officer, the U.S. Creditors' Committee, or other third parties; utilize net operating loss carryforwards and certain other tax attributes in the future; avoid the substantive consolidation of NNI's assets and liabilities with those of one or more other U.S. Debtors; operate effectively, and in consultation with the Canadian Monitor, the Canadian creditors' committee, the U.S. Creditors' Committee, the U.S. Principal Officer, and work effectively with the U.K. Administrators and French Administrator in their respective administration of the EMEA businesses subject to the Creditor Protection Proceedings; continue as a going concern; actively and adequately communicate on and respond to events, media and rumors associated with the Creditor Protection Proceedings; retain and incentivize key employees as may be needed; retain, or if necessary, obtain court orders or approvals with respect to motions filed from time to time; resolve claims made against Nortel in connection with the Creditor Protection Proceedings for amounts not exceeding Nortel's recorded liabilities subject to compromise; prevent third parties from obtaining court orders or approvals that are contrary to Nortel's interests; and 
(b) risks and uncertainties associated with: limitations on actions against any Debtor during the Creditor Protection Proceedings; the values, if any, that will be prescribed pursuant to any court approved plan to outstanding Nortel securities and, in particular, that Nortel does not expect that any value will be prescribed to the NNC common shares or the NNL preferred shares in any such plan; the delisting of NNC common shares from the NYSE; the delisting of NNC common shares and NNL preferred shares from the TSX and; any cease trade orders that are expected to be issued by Canadian Securities Administers to prohibit trading in securities of NNC and NNL following the third quarter filing deadlines applicable to NNC and NNL's quarterly reporting obligations under Canadian securities laws; and (ii) risks and uncertainties relating to Nortel's remaining restructuring work including fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates; the sufficiency of workforce and cost reduction initiatives; any adverse legal judgments, fines, penalties or settlements related to any significant pending or future litigation actions; failure to maintain integrity of Nortel's information systems; and Nortel's potential inability to maintain an effective risk management strategy.

For additional information with respect to certain of these and other factors, see Nortel's Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other securities filings with the SEC. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, Nortel disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

*Nortel, the Nortel logo and the Globemark are trademarks of Nortel Networks.

ANNEX A
IN THE MATTER OF THE SECURITIES ACT,
R.S.O. 1990, CHAPTER S.5, AS AMENDED (THE "ACT")
AND
IN THE MATTER OF
NORTEL NETWORKS CORPORATION AND NORTEL NETWORKS LIMITED
ORDER
(Paragraphs 127(1)2)
WHEREAS on December 11, 2012,
NORTEL NETWORKS CORPORATION (NNC) AND NORTEL NETWORKS LIMITED (NNL)
(the "Reporting Issuers")

and the Reporting Issuers' transfer agent were notified that the Director made an order under paragraph 2 of subsection 127(1) and subsection 127(5) of the Act on the 11th day of December, 2012 that all trading in the securities of the Reporting Issuers, whether direct or indirect, cease immediately for a period of fifteen days from the date of the order, subject to certain permitted exceptions therein (the "Temporary Order");

AND WHEREAS the Reporting Issuers issued a press release on January 14, 2009 which announced that the Reporting Issuers (and certain of their Canadian subsidiaries) had initiated creditor protection proceedings under the Companies' Creditors Arrangement Act (Canada) (the CCAA proceeding). Pursuant to an Order of the Ontario Superior Court of Justice dated January 14, 2009 issued in connection with the CCAA proceeding (the Initial Order), Ernst & Young Inc. was appointed by the Court as Monitor to assist the Reporting Issuers through their restructuring process;

AND WHEREAS the Reporting Issuers issued a press release on August 9, 2012 that announced that the Monitor had determined that the expense and resources required to comply with ongoing public disclosure requirements could no longer be justified and that consequently the Reporting Issuers would no longer be able to comply with their periodic reporting requirements and would discontinue preparing and filing quarterly and annual financial statements and all other periodic disclosure documents under applicable Canadian laws effective as of the filing deadlines for third quarter reporting obligations;

AND WHEREAS on November 23, 2012 the Ontario Superior Court of Justice ordered that the stay of proceedings granted in favour of the Monitor and the Reporting Issuers in the Initial Order be lifted solely for the purpose of permitting the issuance of cease trade orders by the appropriate securities regulatory authorities;

AND WHEREAS in information provided to the Ontario Securities Commission on September 21, 2012 the Reporting Issuers confirmed that in addition to common and preferred shares, the Reporting Issuers had the following securities outstanding:

(a)in the case of NNC, U.S. $575,000,000 principal amount of 1.75% convertible senior notes due 2012 and U.S. $575,000,000 principal amount of 2.125% convertible senior notes due 2014 (collectively, the NNC Notes); and
(b) in the case of NNL, U.S. $1,000,000,000 principal amount of floating rate senior notes due 2011, U.S. $550,000,000 principal amount of 10.125% senior notes due 2013, U.S. $1,125,000,000 principal amount of 10.750% senior notes due 2016 and U.S. $200,000,000 principal amount of 6.875% notes due 2023 (collectively, the NNL Notes);

AND WHEREAS the Temporary Order was made because the Reporting Issuers failed to file the following continuous disclosure materials as required by Ontario securities law (collectively, the "Default"):

a)interim financial statements for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2012;
b) management's discussion and analysis relating to the interim financial statements for the nine-month period ended September 30, 2012; and
c)certification of the foregoing filings as required by National Instrument 52-109 Certification of Disclosure in Issuers' Annual and Interim Filings;

AND WHEREAS the Reporting Issuers and the Reporting Issuers' transfer agent were notified that a hearing (the "Hearing") would be held to determine if it would be in the public interest to make an order under paragraph 2 of subsection 127(1) of the Act that all trading in the securities of the Reporting Issuers, whether direct or indirect, cease permanently or for such period as is specified in the order;

AND WHEREAS the Reporting Issuers were notified that if the Reporting Issuers intended to attend at the Hearing, the Reporting Issuers were requested to notify the Director of the Reporting Issuers' intention to attend in writing, in which case the Hearing would be held before the Commission;

AND WHEREAS the Reporting Issuers were further notified that if the Reporting Issuers failed to notify the Director of the Reporting Issuers' intention to be present at the Hearing, then the Hearing would be held before the Director without the Reporting Issuers present;

AND WHEREAS the Reporting Issuers having failed to notify the Director of the Reporting Issuers' intention to attend at the Hearing, the Hearing was held before the Director on the 24th day of December, 2012;

AND UPON no one appearing at the Hearing on behalf of the Reporting Issuers;

AND UPON hearing the evidence of staff of the Ontario Securities Commission and the Director being satisfied that the Default continues;

IT IS ORDERED pursuant to paragraph 2 of subsection 127(1) of the Act that, effective immediately,

1.subject to paragraph 2 hereof, all trading in the securities of the Reporting Issuers, whether direct or indirect, shall cease until further order by the Director;
2. this order does not apply to the following trades:
(a)a trade to a person or company in a security of either of the Reporting Issuers for nominal consideration for the purpose of permitting security holders of a Reporting Issuer to crystallize any losses for tax purposes provided that, prior to such trade, such person or company:
(i) receives a copy of this order; and
(ii) provides written acknowledgment to the seller that the securities of the Reporting Issuer remain subject to this order in accordance with its terms following such trade; or
(b)a trade of NNC Notes or NNL Notes to a person or company who is an "accredited investor" as defined in National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus and Registration Exemptions, provided that, prior to such trade either:
(i) such person or company receives a copy of this order and provides written acknowledgment to the seller that the NNC Notes or NNL Notes (as applicable) remain subject to this order in accordance with its terms following such trade; or
(ii) the Reporting Issuers shall have issued a news release disclosing the terms of this order and the Monitor shall have posted a copy of this order on its website, in which case each such person or company is deemed to have received notification of the terms of this order and is deemed to have acknowledged to the seller that the NNC Notes or NNL Notes (as applicable) remain subject to this order in accordance with its terms following such trade.

DATED at Toronto this 24th day of December, 2012.

Ontario Securities Commission

Lisa Enright, Manager, Corporate Finance Branch

Contact Information

Nomophobia on the rise in Canada: Majority of Canadian smartphone owners sleep next to their device and expect to be even more connected in 2013

Nomophobia on the rise in Canada: Majority of Canadian smartphone owners sleep next to their device and expect to be even more connected in 2013

The Rogers Innovation Report reveals that the love affair between Canadians and their smartphones intensified in 2012 with 55 per cent of Canadians checking their mobile device before brushing their teeth in the morning. (CNW Group/Rogers Communications Inc.)

Rogers Innovation Report reveals top technology trends and predictions for 2013 and beyond

TORONTODec. 27, 2012 /CNW/ - The love affair between Canadians and their smartphones intensified in 2012. According to the latest Rogers Innovation Report, commissioned by Vision Critical and released today by Rogers Communications, Nomophobia - the state of stress caused by being away from your smartphone - has gripped Canadian smartphone users. Sixty five per cent say they feel naked without their smartphone and Internet access. A little over half sleep with their device next to them, and 82 per cent use their smartphone in the bathroom. Over half say they check their mobile device before brushing their teeth in the morning.

Looking ahead, these Canadians predict a surge in attachment to their mobile devices and wireless connectivity. Eighty per cent believe people will choose their wireless device to go online versus their desktop computer.

"Consumers are absolutely passionate about their online connections. And, that's only expected to increase as technology advances," said Reade Barber, Vice President, Mobile and Fixed Internet at Rogers Communications. "From mobile banking and work flexibility, to downloading the latest e-book or watching the big game on the go, Canadians are doing more online today and will be even more connected in 2013 and beyond and as they sign up for the fastest Internet speeds and the latest connected technologies."

According to those surveyed, the top technology trends and predictions include: 

Canadians watch more TV and movies anyplace: Over half (52 per cent) said they increased the amount of TV and movies they watched over the Internet at home in 2012. Men were almost twice as likely as women to watch TV and movies on their mobile devices while on the go. Eighty-six per cent of young adults and 43 per cent of those surveyed caught Gangnam Style on YouTube. Over the next five years, the majority of those surveyed (65 per cent) expect to have seamless connections that allow them to go from room to room without missing a second of a TV show, movie or game.

Canadians to get more time back in their day: Most feel that wireless network speeds have improved in the last year and by 2017, almost half expect to save at least two hours a day by using faster home and mobile Internet.

BYOD - Bring Your Own Device - on the rise: Over half (55 per cent) said they were able to use the device of their choice at work or for work-related purposes in 2012. Seventy-two per cent believe that the majority of Canadians will be able to use their preferred mobile device at the office within the next two years.

More Canadians to work from home thanks to cloud services and faster mobile speeds: Fifty-nine per cent of respondents predict that over the next two years Cloud services—combined with faster mobile networks— will mean more Canadians will work from home.

Canadians making more mobile payments: More than one in ten used an app to pay for a purchase in 2012. The majority of those surveyed (67 per cent) think that within two years most Canadians will use mobile devices to pay for purchases and save money.

More digital and less paper - increased use of e-books and online magazines: In 2012, 10 per cent of those surveyed downloaded a racy novel to a mobile device - and must have liked it - since the majority (78 per cent) think e-book sales will explode. Expect more room in the recycling bin as 77 per cent predict more Canadians will do their magazine reading on their tablets in 2013.

Buffering to be as old school as dial up Internet:  In 2012, ten per cent of respondents said they updated to faster mobile Internet speeds, signing up for the next gen network LTE, and 22 per cent said they upgraded to an LTE device. That is expected to jump, with 80 per cent predicting that more Canadians will sign up for the fastest internet speeds available in 2013. The result? The strong majority (71 per cent) predict that buffering on a wireless device will be as old school as dial up Internet. And in the next five years, more than three quarters (76 per cent) believe the overwhelming majority of Canadians will download files in seconds using the fastest mobile Internet technology in the world.

All about integration - technology ecosystems like Windows 8 gaining ground: The majority of those surveyed (82 per cent) believe that in 2013, integrated technology systems that seamlessly connect two or more devices, will increase in popularity. These include mobile Internet ecosystems like Mac computers integrated with iPhone or Windows 8 software from your desktop at work or home and/or tablets integrated with Windows 8 smartphones.

To view our Rogers Innovation Report Infographic, http://redboard.rogers.com/rirexplores/

For full report results, http://slideshare.net/Rogers/rogers-innovation-2012-year-end-trends-official-15729268

About the survey
From November 15th to November 19th, 2012, an online survey was conducted among a sample of 1,040 Canadians that own and use a smartphone or tablet, who are Angus Reid Forum panel members. The results have been statistically weighted according to the most current age, gender and region Census data to ensure a representative sample. The margin of error on the full base — which measures sampling variability — of 1,040 respondents is +/- 3.1%. Discrepancies in or between totals are due to rounding.

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.


Image with caption: "The Rogers Innovation Report reveals that the love affair between Canadians and their smartphones intensified in 2012 with 55 per cent of Canadians checking their mobile device before brushing their teeth in the morning. (CNW Group/Rogers Communications Inc.)". Image available at:

Media_httpphotosnewsw_edkaa

SOURCE: Rogers Communications Inc.

Oracle Expands Enterprise Product Lifecycle Management Offerings

Oracle Expands Enterprise Product Lifecycle Management Offerings

Latest Versions of Oracle’s Agile PLM and Oracle’s Agile PLM for Process Enable Manufacturers to Accelerate Innovation and Maximize Profitability

April 15, 2008

News Facts

As another milestone for Oracle's "Applications Unlimited" program, Oracle today announced the latest versions of Oracle's Agile Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) 9.2.2.4 (formerly known as Agile 9) and Oracle's Agile PLM for Process 5.2 (formerly known as Prodika).
These new releases further Oracle's strategy and commitment to evolving Oracle's Agile PLM product roadmap and are based upon customer-driven enhancements, a superior ownership experience and comprehensive industry best practices for enterprise PLM processes.
"Applications Unlimited" is Oracle's long-term plan to protect customers' current investments while providing continued enhancements and lifetime support to current Oracle(r) Applications.

Deeper Industry Processes

As companies are under increased pressure to deliver economical, reliable and versatile products, mechatronics support has become vital as it enables manufacturers to manage integrated design information across all types of components including mechanical, electronics and software.
The latest version of Oracle's Agile PLM now delivers mechatronics support and enhancements to enable high-tech and industrial manufacturers to better manage complex, multi-type design objects and benefit from seamless integration capabilities to design systems including mechanical CAD, electronics CAD and software.
Oracle's Agile PLM also enables engineering collaboration, visibility and control of design information through the product lifecycle both internally and externally.
For process manufacturers and private-label retailers within the food and beverage, health and beauty and household and care products industries, Oracle's Agile PLM for Process provides enhanced, deeper formulation capabilities, including prototype traceability, calculated attribute support, label and ingredient statement tools and nutritional and compliance reporting. This latest release also has additional support for extended data in collaboration and formulation with tighter security to enable collaboration with supply chain applications and protection against counterfeits and copycats.

Customer-Driven Enhancements and Superior Ownership Experience

The new release also leverages Oracle Fusion Middleware for reporting using Oracle Business Intelligence Publisher and Oracle Data Integrator, further enhancing Oracle's Agile PLM differentiation in enabling decision support analytics and reporting across enterprise PLM functions.
Oracle's Agile PLM now includes customer-driven enhancements across product quality management, product portfolio management, product compliance management and product cost management.
Oracle's Agile PLM for Process now enables a lower total-cost-of-ownership with additional self-service capabilities, simplified configuration, extensibility, extensible reporting and better integration APIs.
Utilizing Oracle's Application Integration Architecture (AIA), the open, standards-based approach to enterprise integration, Oracle is laying the foundational roadmap to provide out-of-the-box, composite enterprise PLM processes to integrate with the Oracle E-Business Suite, Oracle's JD Edwards applications and SAP applications.

Supporting Quotes

"Manufacturers are under increased pressure to design cost-effective, high-quality products that are reliable and compliant with industry standards," said Joe Barkai, Practice Director of Manufacturing Insights, an IDC Company, in a recent research perspective. "With Agile, Oracle is delivering Enterprise PLM solutions that provide access to information throughout the entire product network. Oracle is delivering on its promise by drawing in internal and external stakeholders early and throughout the product lifecycle through composite business processes across Agile PLM, CAD systems, ERP backbones, and other enterprise applications."
"We continue to remain committed to evolving Oracle's Agile PLM product lines to give our manufacturing customers access to deeper, out-of-the- box industry best practices and next generation enterprise PLM capabilities across engineering, design and manufacturing systems," said Oracle Vice President, PLM Product Strategy Hardeep Gulati. "Our clear product roadmap and collaboration with new and existing customers continues to position us for ongoing momentum in the Enterprise PLM space."

General Availability

Oracle's Agile PLM for Process 5.2 is currently available. Oracle's Agile PLM 9.2.2.4 is scheduled to be available in May 2008.

Supporting Resources

Analyst Reports

Related Resources

Related Press Releases

Oracle Demonstrates Leadership in Enterprise Product Lifecycle Management
Oracle Unveils Strategy for Enterprise Product Lifecycle Management

About Oracle

Oracle (NASDAQ: ORCL) is the world's largest enterprise software company. For more information about Oracle, please visit our Web site at http://www.oracle.com.

Trademarks

Oracle is a registered trademark of Oracle Corporation and/or its affiliates. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. This document is for informational purposes only and may not be incorporated into a contract or agreement.
Reference herein to third party content, including analysis, opinions, predictions and statements, does not constitute or imply Oracle's endorsement of or concurrence with such content.
The following is intended to outline our general product direction. It is intended for information purposes only, and may not be incorporated into any contract. It is not a commitment to deliver any material, code, or functionality, and should not be relied upon in making purchasing decisions. The development, release, and timing of any features or functionality described for Oracle's products remains at the sole discretion of Oracle.

Contact Info

Jessica Moore 
Oracle 
+1.650.506.8741 
jessica.moore@oracle.com

Neil Torres 
Blanc & Otus 
+1.415.856.5140 
ntorres@blancandotus.com

Shared Services Canada selects MTS Inc. to deliver and manage its MPLS network

Shared Services Canada selects MTS Inc. to deliver and manage its MPLS network

MTS Inc. to provide telecommunication services to Shared Services Canada

Stock Symbol:  MBT

TORONTODec. 21, 2012 /CNW/ - Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. (MTS Inc.), announced today that it has signed a multi-year contract to provide business IP and switched ethernet services to Shared Services Canada (SSC), the Government of Canada department responsible for providing telecommunication services, email and data centres to SSC partners. 

The implementation of Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS) managed service will help SSC deliver on its mandate to improve the efficiency, reliability and security of the government's IT infrastructure. It will connect up to 850 sites across the country, with the flexibility and intelligence of IP routing and the transport quality of a single, high performance network.  By implementing an IP-based solution, voice, data and multimedia applications can be converged onto a single private network, simplifying the ability for network development and providing a higher overall return on infrastructure investment. This, combined with the benefits of a switched ethernet solution, will allow smooth and dependable sharing of information and applications across multiple LANs, further increasing SSC's productivity.

"We have a long history of working with the federal government and will now have an even bigger role in creating greater efficiency in their network environment," said Dean Prevost, President of Allstream. "We're very pleased that our solutions fit the government's objective of efficiently using technology to increase productivity."

Manitoba Telecom Services Inc. 
MTS Allstream is one of Canada's leading national communication solutions companies, providing innovative communications for the way Canadians live and work today. The company has more than 100 years of experience, with 5,500 employees across Canada. MTS Allstream's business is dynamic and consists of two operating divisions.  In Manitoba, MTS is the leading full-service telecommunications provider for residential and business customers. MTS's suite of services include the latest in wireless technology, broadband services, IPTV, voice services, home security, and an extensive range of business solutions. Across Canada, Allstream is a leader in IP communications and is the only national provider that focuses exclusively on the business telecommunications market. MTS Allstream has nearly two million customer connections spanning business customers across Canadaand residential consumers throughout the province of Manitoba. The company's extensive national fibre optic network spans more than 30,000 kilometres. MTS Allstream has spent 11 consecutive years on the Jantzi Social Index for leadership in social responsibility and is the recipient of the 2011 Governance Gavel Award from the Canadian Coalition for Good Governance, recognizing clear and effective public disclosure and leading governance practices. MTS Allstream's common shares are listed on the TSX (trading symbol: MBT).  Customers, stakeholders and investors who want to learn more about MTS Allstream are encouraged to visit: www.mtsallstream.com.  For more information about MTS's products and services, please visit www.mts.ca. For more information about Allstream's products and services, please visit www.allstream.com.

Forward-looking Statements Disclaimer
This news release includes forward-looking statements and information (collectively, the "statements") about the Company's corporate direction, business opportunities, operations, financial objectives and future financial results and performance that are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. As a consequence, actual results in the future may differ materially from any conclusion, forecast or projection in such forward-looking statements. Therefore, forward-looking statements should be considered carefully and undue reliance should not be placed on them. Examples of statements that constitute forward-looking information may be identified by words such as "believe", "expect", "project", "should", "anticipate", "could", "target", "forecast", "intend", "plan", "outlook", "see", "set", "pending", and other similar terms.

Factors that could cause anticipated opportunities and actual results to differ materially include, but are not limited to, matters identified in the "Material assumptions" section below, the "Risks and uncertainties" section, elsewhere in the Company's 2011 Annual MD&A and 2011 Annual Information Form, all of which are available on SEDAR atwww.sedar.com.

Please note that forward-looking statements reflect Management's expectations as at the date hereof. The Company disclaims any intention or 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.

SOURCE: MTS Allstream

For further information:

Media:  

Jessica Poitras
Corporate Communications
204-941-7823
media.relations@mtsallstream.com

Cogeco Cable Inc. to Acquire PEER 1 Network Enterprises, Inc.

Cogeco Cable Inc. to Acquire PEER 1 Network Enterprises, Inc.

MONTREAL, CANADA and VANCOUVER, CANADA--(Marketwire - Dec. 21, 2012) - Cogeco Cable Inc. ("Cogeco Cable") (TSX:CCA) and PEER 1 Network Enterprises, Inc. ("PEER 1") (TSX:PIX)

  • Cogeco Cable to Offer $3.85 in cash consideration per share
  • Acquisition increases scale and reach of Cogeco Cable's IT hosting business
  • Enhances Cogeco Cable's data centre capabilities in key strategic growth areas including managed hosting, dedicated hosting, cloud services and co-location
  • Positions Cogeco Cable to provide an expanded suite of network and hosting services particularly to small and medium sized businesses
  • Addition of world class infrastructure including 19 data centres and 21 points-of-presence throughout North America and Europe
  • Transaction fully supported by the Board of Directors of PEER 1
  • Lock-up agreements representing in aggregate 62% of PEER 1's fully diluted shares outstanding in support of the transaction
  • Mailing of Circulars on or about December 24th with an expiry date of on or about January 29, 2013

Cogeco Cable Inc. ("Cogeco Cable") (TSX:CCA) and PEER 1 Network Enterprises, Inc. ("PEER 1") (TSX:PIX) announced today that they have entered into an agreement ("Support Agreement"), pursuant to which Cogeco Cable has agreed to acquire all of the issued and outstanding shares of PEER 1 by way of takeover bid (the "Offer"). PEER 1 shareholders will receive $3.85 in cash per share valuing PEER 1's equity at approximately $526 million on a fully diluted basis and its enterprise value at approximately $635 million. The Offer represents a premium of 32.1% to PEER 1's 20 day volume weighted average share price. Cogeco Cable has entered into lock-up agreements with the board of directors, certain key management, and certain key shareholders of PEER 1 representing in aggregate approximately 62% of the fully diluted shares outstanding to tender their shares to the Offer.

PEER 1 is one of the world's leading internet infrastructure providers, specializing in managed hosting, dedicated servers, cloud services and colocation. The acquisition of PEER 1 and combining it with Cogeco Cable's existing data centre capabilities, will increase the scale and scope by adding the capability to service an additional 10,000 businesses worldwide through 19 data centres and 21 points-of-presence across North America and Europe. PEER 1's primary network centre and headquarters are located in Vancouver, Canada.

"Data centre services are a key strategic focus for Cogeco Cable, and this acquisition is consistent with Cogeco Cable's commitment to grow its presence in the sector. This acquisition enhances the company's ability to provide complex co-location and managed data centre services to our customers. There are significant opportunities for growth including increasing Cogeco Cable's penetration of the small and medium-sized business segment, gaining market share in the enterprise services market and maximizing the potential of current services offered" said Louis Audet, President and CEO of Cogeco Cable.

"Cogeco Cable is a well positioned telecommunications company in Canada and its commitment to invest growth capital in the internet infrastructure business, and demonstrated success in serving the technology needs of enterprises makes it an ideal match for PEER 1," said Fabio Banducci, President and CEO of PEER 1. "Both of our companies strive for exceptional customer service and technological excellence. Cogeco Cable's Offer is attractive to our shareholders and recognizes the value and potential of our company, management and employees."

"PEER 1 is a leading business and technology service company with talented and committed employees and long-term customer relationships," said Louis Audet, President and CEO of Cogeco Cable. "It further underscores our ongoing commitment to support our customers as they expand their businesses locally and globally. We warmly welcome PEER 1 professionals and believe that our combined businesses will provide new and larger growth opportunities for all our employees and customers."

The Board of Directors of PEER 1 has received an opinion from RBC Capital Markets that, based upon and subject to the assumptions, limitations, and qualifications in such opinion, the consideration to be received under the Offer is fair, from a financial point of view, to PEER 1's shareholders. The Board of Directors of PEER 1, after receiving the unanimous recommendation of a special committee of the Board of Directors formed to consider the Offer, has unanimously approved entering into the Support Agreement and unanimously recommends that PEER 1 shareholders tender their shares pursuant to the Offer.

The Support Agreement is subject to customary non-solicitation provisions, subject to PEER 1's right to consider and accept superior proposals. In the event of a superior proposal, Cogeco Cable will have a five day right to match the superior proposal. If the transaction is not completed as a result of PEER 1 accepting a superior proposal or in other specified circumstances, a termination fee equal to $18.5 million will be paid to Cogeco Cable.

A take-over bid circular containing the full details of the Offer and other related documents will be filed and mailed to PEER 1 shareholders on or about December 24, 2012. The Offer is conditional on the tendering of at least 66 2/3% of the issued and outstanding PEER 1 shares to the Offer, the receipt of regulatory approvals and the satisfaction or waiver of other customary conditions. The Offer will be open for acceptance for a period of not less than 35 days and is not conditional on financing. Cogeco Cable is financing the transaction through available resources, including a new acquisition facility provided by National Bank of Canada.

The Board of Directors of PEER 1 has agreed that its Directors' Circular recommending the Offer will be mailed to shareholders at the same time or as soon as reasonably practicable after the mailing of the Cogeco Cable take-over bid circular.

National Bank Financial lnc. acted as financial adviser and McCarthy Tétrault LLP acted as legal adviser to Cogeco Cable in connection with the transaction and Stikeman Elliott LLP acted as legal adviser to Cogeco Cable in connection with the acquisition financing. National Bank of Canada has underwritten the acquisition financing with Norton Rose Canada LLP acting as legal adviser. In addition, Cheverny Capital Inc. provided certain additional financial advice in the context of the transaction. The Special Committee of PEER 1 was advised by RBC Capital Markets and Torys LLP acted as legal adviser.

Cogeco Cable has retained Kingsdale Shareholder Services Inc. ("Kingsdale") to act as its solicitation agent in connection with the Offer. PEER 1 shareholders with questions about the process to submit their certificates or to tender to the Offer may contact the Information Agent, Kingsdale Shareholder Services Inc. toll-free at 1 866-581-0507. Outside of North America, please dial +1 416-867-2272, or emailcontactus@kingsdaleshareholder.com.

Conference Call Details

Cogeco Cable will host a conference call for investors and analysts to discuss the transaction:

Friday, December 21, 2012 at 8:30 a.m. (Eastern Standard Time)

Media representatives may attend as listeners only.

Please use the following dial-in number to have access to the conference call by dialing five minutes before the start of the conference:

Canada/USA Access Number: 1 866-322-2356

International Access Number: + 1 416-640-3405

Confirmation Code: 4920589

The presentation is available on our website at www.cogeco.ca/press room/events

ABOUT COGECO CABLE

Cogeco Cable (www.cogeco.ca) is a telecommunications corporation and is the second largest hybrid fibre coaxial cable operator in Ontario and Québec. Through its two-way broadband cable networks, Cogeco Cable provides its residential customers with Analogue and Digital Television, High Speed Internet («HSI») and Telephony services. Cogeco Cable is also present in the United States through its subsidiary, Atlantic Broadband, whose head office is located in Quincy, Massachusetts. Atlantic Broadband is ranked the 12th largest cable television system operator in the United States and, serves the following areas: Western Pennsylvania, Southern Florida, Maryland, Delaware and South Carolina. Cogeco Cable provides as well to its commercial customers, through its subsidiary Cogeco Data Services, data networking, e-business applications, video conferencing, hosting services, Ethernet, private line, VoIP, HSI access, data storage, data security, co-location services, managed IT services, cloud services and other advanced communication solutions. Cogeco Cable's subordinate voting shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX:CCA).

ABOUT PEER 1 Hosting

PEER 1 Hosting (www.peer1.com) is one of the world's leading IT hosting providers. The company is built on two obsessions: Ping & People. Ping, represents its commitment to best-in-breed technology, founded on a high performance 10Gbps FastFiber Network™ connected by 19 state-of-the-art data centres and 21 points-of-presence throughout North America and Europe. People, represents its commitment to delivering outstanding customer service to its more than 10,000 customers worldwide, backed by a 100 percent uptime guarantee and 24x7x365 FirstCall Support™. Info-Tech Research Group recently named PEER 1 Hosting as a "Champion" in its Canadian colocation and managed services Vendor Landscape report, recognizing the company's strength in product offerings and enterprise strategy in the global IT marketplace. PEER 1 Hosting's portfolio includes Managed Hosting, Dedicated Servers under the ServerBeach brand, Colocation and Cloud Services under the Zunicore brand. Founded in 1999, the company is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada, with European operations headquartered in Southampton, UK. PEER 1 Hosting shares are traded on the TSX under the symbol PIX. For more information visit: www.peer1.com or www.peer1hosting.co.uk.

Montreal-based IOU CENTRAL ANNOUNCES THE LATEST VERSION OF ITS TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM

IOU CENTRAL ANNOUNCES THE LATEST VERSION OF ITS TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM

IOU CENTRAL ANNOUNCES THE LATEST VERSION OF ITS TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM, EMPOWERING Sales Partners AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS WITH A FAST, SECURE ALTERNATIVE LENDING OPTION

Proprietary technology streamlines the application and approval process for fast, secure and efficient small business loans

Atlanta, GA – December 19, 2012 – IOU Central, a leading online small business lender, is announcing the latest version of the technology behind its online lending solution for healthy small businesses in need of additional capital for continued growth. IOU Central’s technology brings sales partners and small business owners an easy-to-use, secure online application process, with a quick turnaround.

IOU Central’s technology platform was developed to ease the burden of applying for a small business loan and to make the entire process 100% paperless, from start to finish. While most lenders require a great deal of paper documentation and essentially rely on the individual strengths of a subset of benchmarks to determine the credit-worthiness of a borrower, IOU Central’s technology allows for a different approach to gathering loan criteria and determining approval.

The IOU Central Risk Score

Rather than simply considering traditional data such as credit scores and tax return income history, the IOU Central technology platform makes it possible to quickly make loan decisions based on both credit information and non-traditional criteria. When the application is initiated online, borrower data is seamlessly consolidated into a dashboard, either by a borrower or broker uploading documents or through APIs to websites like Equifax. IOU’s technology then calculates and automatically assigns the borrower an “IOU Risk Score,” a multi-factor model that looks at several components of the business on a weighted scale and provides a “big picture” view of the borrower’s financial reality. This includes the typical financial data a borrower would expect, but also pulls in non-traditional data such as street views of the business from Google Maps or customer perceptions from social media outlets like Yelp, Urban Spoon and others.

“We’ve made an investment on the front end to ensure that the technology behind our application and approval process is secure, seamless and automated to the point that many borrowers comment that it isn’t actually a process at all,” said Robert Gloer, President and COO for IOU Central. “As a result of our technology capabilities and interfacing with a dozen different websites we are able to mitigate risks for our investors while providing world class service to our customers. The outcome is a simplified yet sophisticated technology platform that is revolutionizing the way small business owners access capital.”

For small business owners, IOU Central’s technology platform means:

  • A secure, quick application process that can be initiated at anytime, from anywhere
  • Less time gathering documentation for the application process since IOU Central’s integration with websites like Equifax, google street view and numerous other data sources automatically pulls in required data
  • A unique approval process based on a “big picture” of traditional and non-traditional, social data
  • A 100% paperless application process allowing the borrower to e-sign to accept the terms and close their loan
  • Approval in days, not weeks or months

For broker partners, IOU Central’s technology platform means:

  • A seamless, paperless application process
  • Integration with data sites such as Equifax, google street view and eBay, limiting the need to upload borrower documents
  • Control of the application process from start to finish
  • Borrower is not contacted until the loan is approved or declined
  • Quick approval turnaround, within days


About IOU Central
IOU Central is a leading online lender specialized in helping small businesses with healthy cash flow. Typical customers include medical and dental practicesgrocery and retail storesrestaurant and hotel franchiseesand ecommerce companies. In a unique approach to lending, IOU Central’s advanced, automated application and approval system accurately assesses applicants’ financial realities, with an emphasis on day-to-day cash flow trends. It makes loans of up to $100,000 to qualified applicants within a few business days, with affordable charges favorable to cash-flow management. IOU Central’s speed and transparency make it a trusted alternative to banks. Based in metro Atlanta, Georgia, IOU Central is a privately held subsidiary of IOU Financial (CNSX: IOU), which is headquartered in Montreal, Canada. For more information, visitwww.ioucentral.com

Gartner Predicts By 2015, One-Third of Consumer Brands Will Integrate Payment Into Their Branded Mobile Apps

Gartner Predicts By 2015, One-Third of Consumer Brands Will Integrate Payment Into Their Branded Mobile Apps

STAMFORD, Conn., December 20, 2012—

By 2015, 33 percent of consumer brands will integrate payment into their branded mobile apps, according to Gartner, Inc. In the next three years, this trend will unfold so that brands can sell directly and enhance the customer experience. This trend will be more pronounced for brands with retail outlets, such as those in the fashion, food and drink, grocery and entertainment sectors.

"Many consumer brands have launched branded apps that focus on marketing activities such as offering product information, checking loyalty points, and collecting coupons and offers. A few early adopters have integrated payment functions into their apps. Brands need to help consumers make purchasing decisions in an efficient and personalized way," said Sandy Shen, research director at Gartner. "Branded apps should be good shopping apps in the first place, and payment is only the final step before making the sale. To achieve this, they will use a combination of mobile apps, text messages and Web browsers to engage customers and increase sales. In developed markets, apps will lead the way, whereas in emerging markets text messages are likely to dominate initially."

Consumers might prefer to use an aggregator app — a single app from which they can access multiple brands. Such apps can be online marketplace apps or specialist apps dealing with location information, promotional offers and travel. Branded companies' apps will have to compete with these aggregator apps in terms of richness of offering and user experience. Only those that deliver compelling value and user experience will last.

In the report, "Predicts 2013: Businesses Will Take Consumer Apps to the Next Level," Gartner has highlighted the key predictions for consumer apps in 2013 and beyond. They include:

  • By 2016, more than half of consumers will use digital cloud services as their primary form of storage for digital content.
  • By 2016, most pay-TV operators in developed markets will have launched "pay-TV as an app" on smart TVs.
  • By 2016, wearable smart electronics will be a $10 billion industry.

More detailed analysis is available in the report "Predicts 2013: Businesses Will Take Consumer Apps to the Next Level" The report is available on Gartner's website athttp://www.gartner.com/resId=2249215.

Contacts: 
 

Rob van der Meulen 
Gartner
+44 0 1784 267892
rob.vandermeulen@gartner.com 

Christy Pettey 
Gartner
+1 408 468 8312
christy.pettey@gartner.com 


About Gartner: 
Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) is the world's leading information technology research and advisory company. Gartner delivers the technology-related insight necessary for its clients to make the right decisions, every day. From CIOs and senior IT leaders in corporations and government agencies, to business leaders in high-tech and telecom enterprises and professional services firms, to technology investors, Gartner is the valuable partner to clients in 12,000 distinct organizations. Through the resources of Gartner Research, Gartner Executive Programs, Gartner Consulting and Gartner Events, Gartner works with every client to research, analyze and interpret the business of IT within the context of their individual role. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.A., and has 5,000 associates, including 1,280 research analysts and consultants, and clients in 85 countries. For more information, www.gartner.com.