MONTREAL – Videotron has confirmed that its new wireless service is on schedule, and will be ready to launch by next summer.
All services and switching platforms have been installed and are operational, interconnections have been established with its existing fibre network, and multi-phase reliability testing of these platforms is currently underway, the company said in a statement. It has also completed site access and agreements, or had tower-sharing requests accepted, in respect of nearly 60% of all antenna sites required for the AWS launch.
Videotron hinted that the wireless service, which it describes as “an integral part of its strategic vision for its combined platform and quadruple play technology offering”, may have gone over budget.
“The optimization of Videotron’s AWS build-out and launch project over the past year has evolved, resulting in a corresponding evolution of the project’s investment profile as compared to Videotron’s initial estimates”, the company’s statement continued. “Nevertheless, Videotron believes that this will not have a material impact on Videotron’s results of operations or financial position, because Videotron anticipates that its optimized AWS project will further benefit its penetration, revenue generation and cash conversion objectives.”
The Quebec cable giant said that it still intends to finance future AWS project disbursements from cash on hand, funds generated by operations and, if necessary, available unused lines of credit.
