MORRIS, MB – Bell and MTS have announced plans to extend broadband wireless coverage along Highway 75, Manitoba's main transportation corridor linking Winnipeg with the United States border.
Highway 75 is Manitoba's most important north-south link, and the border crossing at Emerson and Pembina, North Dakota is one of the busiest in Western Canada. Residents and travelers along this route currently experience limited coverage along three stretches of Highway 75: between Ste. Agathe and Morris, between Morris and Highway 14, and between Highway 201 and Emerson.
The two companies said Friday that three major new Bell MTS wireless cell sites linked by broadband fibre will close these gaps to ensure continuous 4G LTE and HSPA+ coverage all along the highway. MTS is beginning the work now to secure tower sites and permits, and the project will be completed once the proposed BCE-MTS transaction closes at the end of this year or early 2017.
"Bell MTS will hit the ground running in Manitoba with major new investments in broadband communications, including the completion of full wireless coverage along this critical transportation route," said Wade Oosterman, group president of BCE Inc. and Bell Canada responsible for all Bell wireless, residential and media services, in the news release. "The gaps in coverage along this high-traffic corridor have been a concern to residents, businesses and travellers of all kinds. Building better communications networks is what Bell does best, and we're proud to announce this investment to extend our award-winning mobile technology on Manitoba's Highway 75."
"Completing wireless coverage along Highway 75 is a clear example of the benefits that come from Bell's scale and resources, and from the company's proven expertise in deploying outstanding broadband wireless networks across the country," added MTS president and CEO Jay Forbes. "Bell MTS will be positioned going forward to deliver communications innovation to more Manitobans in more communities across the province."
www.MTS.ca
