SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 6-K

                        REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER

                     Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 under
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


          For the month of October 2002 Commission File Number 1-8481
                                -----------------


                                    BCE Inc.
                 (Translation of Registrant's name into English)


 1000, rue de La Gauchetiere Ouest, Bureau 3700, Montreal, Quebec H3B 4Y7,
                                 (514) 397-7000
                    (Address of principal executive offices)


Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant files or will file annual reports
under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

           Form 20-F                          Form 40-F     X
                    -----------                         -----------


   Indicate by check mark whether the  Registrant by furnishing the information
contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

           Yes                                No     X
              -----------                       -----------


   If  "Yes"  is  marked,  indicate  below  the  file  number  assigned  to the
Registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82-           .
                                                 -----------


This  Form 6-K is not incorporated by reference in the registration statement
filed by BCE Inc. with the Securities and Exchange Commission under Form F-3
on June 15, 2000 (Registration No. 333-12130), under Form S-8 on  October 16,
2000  (Registration  No. 333-12780),  under Form S-8 on November 1, 2000
(Registration No. 333-12802) and under Form S-8 on  November 1, 2000
(Registration  No. 333-12804). Notwithstanding any reference  to BCE  Inc.'s
Web site on the World  Wide Web in the documents attached hereto, the
information contained in BCE Inc.'s Web site or any other site on the World
Wide Web  referred  to in BCE Inc.'s site is not a part of this Form 6-K and,
therefore, is not filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.



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For Immediate Release



                       BCE ANNOUNCES PUBLIC DEBT OFFERING


Montreal  (Quebec),  October 22, 2002 -- BCE Inc.  (TSX,  NYSE:  BCE) announced
that further to its August 1st, 2002 shelf  prospectus filing, it has initiated
a public offering of BCE debt securities today to raise  approximately Cdn
$1.5 billion. A draft prospectus supplement relating to this public offering
has been filed with all Canadian provincial securities regulatory authorities.

BCE has invited a syndicate of  underwriters  to place the BCE public debt
offering.  TD Securities  Inc. will act as lead manager and book-runner and
Merrill Lynch Canada Inc. will act as co lead-manager.

The net proceeds resulting from this offering will be used to pay part of the
acquisition price of SBC  Communications  Inc.'s indirect minority interest in
Bell Canada.

This press  release does not  constitute an offer to sell or the  solicitation
of any offer to buy nor will there be any sale of these securities in any
province,  state or  jurisdiction  in which such offer, solicitation or sale
would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities
laws of any such province, state or jurisdiction.

ABOUT BCE

BCE is Canada's largest communications  company. It has 24 million customer
connections through the wireline,  wireless,  data/Internet and satellite
services it provides,  largely under the Bell brand.  BCE leverages those
connections  with extensive  content creation capabilities  through Bell
Globemedia  which features some of the strongest  brands in the industry --
CTV,  Canada's  leading private broadcaster,  The Globe and Mail,  the leading
Canadian daily  national  newspaper and  Sympatico.ca,  the leading  Canadian
Internet portal.  As well, BCE has extensive  e-commerce  capabilities provided
under the BCE Emergis brand.  BCE shares are listed in Canada, the United
States and Europe.

                                    -- 30 --






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CAUTION CONCERNING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Certain statements made in this press release are  forward-looking  and are
subject to important risks,  uncertainties and assumptions. The results or
events predicted in these  forward-looking  statements may differ materially
from actual results or events. There can be no  assurance  that BCE Inc. will
complete the public offering of any debt securities, or that it will raise all
or part of the proceeds, as set forth in this news release. The forward-looking
statements contained in this press release represent BCE Inc.'s expectations
as of October 22, 2002 and, accordingly, are subject to change after such date.
However,  BCE Inc. disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise
any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information,
future events or otherwise.


For further information:
Nick Kaminaris
Communications
(514) 786-3908
Web site: www.bce.ca





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                                    SIGNATURE


   Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.



                                                BCE Inc.



                                      (Signed Michael T. Boychuk)
                          -----------------------------------------------------

                                           Michael T. Boychuk
                             Senior Vice-President and Corporate Treasurer





                                         Date: October 22, 2002