HALIFAX – Eastlink is investing $6.5 million to bring high speed Internet and fibre services to rural areas of Nova Scotia, the company said Thursday.
The majority of the investment will be used to expand access to Internet speeds of up to 940Mbps in West Pubnico, Guysborough, Inverness, Mabou, Judique, Port Hood and Port Hastings. The remaining $1 million will be used to upgrade its existing broadband service to approximately 1,000 customers in the southern part of the province, including the communities of Kemptville, Greenfield and Margaretsville.
"Investing in small towns and communities is a fundamental part of who we are as a company," said CEO Lee Bragg, pictured at Thursday’s announcement at Eastlink’s headquarters. "We appreciate that when it comes to Internet in rural Nova Scotia, there have and continue to be challenges. We are very pleased to make an additional investment towards improvement in these areas."
Fibre upgrade work is already underway in Guysborough, and the company said that it expects work to begin on the Broadband for Rural Nova Scotia improvement areas later this fall.
Bragg added that Eastlink has submitted a proposal to the provincial government to allow the company to complete upgrades in more communities.
