Liquor Control Board of Ontario selects Rogers Business Solutions to deliver a fully managed high-speed IP VPN network to retai

TORONTO, March 17  /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) has selected Rogers Communications Inc. to provide a fully managed high-speed Internet protocol virtual private network (IP VPN) that will enable point-of- sale processing at all of its 600 retail stores across Ontario. Rogers will also provide wireless GPRS network access to augment the IP VPN cable-based network facilities to ensure a high degree of reliability and redundancy as part of this three-year, multi-million dollar contract.

"The Rogers high-speed network was installed in several of our busiest stores just in time to handle a record volume of sales in December of last year," said Hugh Kelly, senior vice president IT, LCBO. "As a result of the installation of the new high-speed network, our point-of-purchase processing times have improved significantly enabling us to process higher sales volumes and also improve our response time for the placing of orders and online product searches."

Installation of the network continues and is expected to be completed by the end of the first quarter of this fiscal year. In addition to the network installation, Rogers Business Solutions will be monitoring and managing the high-speed IP VPN network.

"We are very pleased to be partnering with the LCBO, one of Ontario's leading retailers, to provide a secure IP network which will allow a higher level of customer service and performance," said Randy Reynolds, president, Rogers Business Solutions. "Our ability to offer redundancy for mission critical applications over multiple network platforms sets us apart from our competitors in Ontario."

Rogers fully managed high-speed IP VPN is just one of a full suite of data networking and Internet connectivity solutions that Rogers Business Solutions offers to businesses across Canada. The Company also offers local and long distance and enhanced voice services and wireless products, and solutions that improve the effectiveness and efficiency of organizations. Services are offered on the wireless, telecom, and cable network platforms.

Liquor Control Board of Ontario

A $3.6 billion provincial government enterprise, the LCBO has some 600 retail stores, supplied by five regional warehouses, and employs some 6,500 people, including part-time workers. The LCBO is the largest single purchaser of beverage alcohol products in the world, buying from some 70 countries. In the past decade, the LCBO has been recognized with numerous communications, training, retailing and marketing awards, including the Retail Council of Canada's Innovative Retailer of the Year and Socially Responsible Retailer of the Year, and the Ontario Chamber of Commerce's Outstanding Business Achievement Award. For more information, visit the LCBO web sites at http://www.lcbo.com/ and http://www.vintages.com/.

About Rogers Business Solutions

Rogers Business Solutions brings together the innovative services of Roger Wireless, Telecom, Cable and Media into one sales and service channel dedicated to meeting the voice, data networking, Internet connectivity and wireless needs of small, medium and large businesses, government agencies and multi-national organizations. It is part of Rogers Communications Inc., (TSX: RCI; NYSE: RG), a diversified Canadian communications and media company including Rogers Wireless, Canada largest wireless voice and data communications services provider and the country's only carrier operating on the world standard GSM/GPRS/EDGE technology platform; Rogers Cable, Canada's largest cable television provider offering cable television, high-speed Internet access, voice-over-cable telephone service and video retailing; and Rogers Media, Canada's premier collection of category leading media assets with businesses in radio, television, broadcasting, television shopping publishing and sports entertainment. For further information about the Rogers group of companies, please visit http://www.rogers.com/. 

DATASOURCE: Rogers Communications Inc.



CONTACT: Liquor Control Board of Ontario: Chris Layton, Media Relations

Coordinator, [phone], [phone] (cell), ;

Rogers Business Solutions: Taanta Gupta, Communications, [phone],

;

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