REGINA – Crown Corp. SaskTel announced Friday that the cellular network covering Moose Jaw, Melville, North Battleford, Onion Lake Benson, Caron, Pense, Smiley and Stoughton boasts faster wireless data speeds thanks to new EV-DO Rev A enhancements.
EV-DO technology (built on the fading CDMA wireless standard) enables a host of wireless data services, including web browsing, content downloads and video streaming. These expansions are part of an ongoing $11.3 million project to expand or improve EV-DO service in 64 locations across the province.
“This project to deliver improved wireless data service to residents and businesses across the province will help bring SaskTel’s total investment in digital cellular service to over $170 million,” said Minister of Crown Corporations Ken Cheveldayoff, in the press release.
“With the much higher speeds made possible by EV-DO Rev A technology, and an EV-DO-capable device, SaskTel cellular customers will be able to use wireless data services such as web browsing, content downloads, streaming video, streaming radio, email and instant messaging at speeds close to residential internet high speed connections,” added SaskTel president and CEO Bob Watson.
EV-DO Rev A is a third generation network technology available to Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) cellular carriers that will support peak average upload speeds ranging between 350 kbps and 550 kbps, and peak average download speeds ranging between 2000 kbps and 2300 kbps. In order to use EV-DO Rev A, the customer must be using a EV-DO Rev A capable device in the EV-DO Rev A locations. If customers roam outside of the EV-DO coverage area, the device will switch to 1X coverage automatically. SaskTel’s entire digital network has been enabled with 1X functionality since 2003.
