DBRS Assigns BBB (high) Rating with Stable Trend to Bell Aliant’s $1.5 Billion MTN Shelf Program

DBRS has today assigned a rating of BBB (high) with a Stable trend to Bell Aliant Regional Communications, Limited Partnership’s (Bell Aliant LP or the Company) $1.5 billion medium-term notes program as per its recently filed preliminary short form shelf prospectus dated April 17, 2009.

As per the Company’s shelf filing, medium-term note issuances under this program will be unsecured and will rank pari passu with all other unsecured and unsubordinated indebtedness incurred by Bell Aliant LP.

DBRS expects Bell Aliant LP to use any proceeds of issuances from this program for general corporate purposes, working capital requirements, capital investments and/or refinancing existing debt.

As ratings are subject to change, subsequent confirmation of Bell Aliant LP’s ratings will be provided by DBRS as any medium-term notes are issued under this program.

Notes:
All figures are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise noted.

The applicable methodology is Rating Telecommunications, which can be found on our website under Methodologies.

This is a Corporate (Telecommunications) rating.