WINNIPEG — The city of Winkler, Man., will soon see a significant expansion of the Bell MTS all-fibre broadband network deployed in the city, with the announcement Wednesday that an additional 4,000 residences and businesses will have access to the network. This brings the total number of locations in the city that will be able to connect to Bell MTS’s fibre network to more than 5,000.
The city of Winkler, located about an hour southwest of Winnipeg, is the fastest growing community (with a population over 5,000) in the province of Manitoba, according to Statistics Canada’s last census.
“As a leader in modern technology, the city of Winkler is pleased with the efforts of Bell MTS to provide a selection of services that will meet the needs of the city of Winkler for the next generation,” said Martin Harder, mayor of Winkler, in a news release.
Bell MTS fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) service delivers Fibe Gigabit Internet with symmetrical data access speeds of up to 940 megabits per second (Mbps) now and ultimately speeds of 40 gigabits per second (Gbps) in the future, Bell MTS said in the news release. The Bell MTS fibre network also supports the Fibe TV television service that will be introduced in Winkler later this year, Bell MTS said.
“The expansion of the Bell MTS all-fibre network will continue to be a major contributor to ongoing economic growth in the region,” said Dan McKeen, vice-chair, Bell MTS & Western Canada, in the news release. “The network build in Winkler is part of our five-year, $1-billion investment plan in the province, and we look forward to delivering further broadband enhancements to communities large and small to ensure Manitobans have access to the best network technologies available.”
The network expansion will include more than 50 kilometres of new fibre installation, both underground and on utility poles. Bell MTS said it aims to minimize disruption to residents and businesses throughout the FTTP deployment by employing innovative installation techniques. The first new customer connections are expected later this summer, Bell MTS said.
