OTTAWA – Huawei Canada today announced it will partner with Iristel and its ICE Wireless division to help the company connect 70 more rural and remote communities by 2025, including 20 communities in the Arctic and 50 communities in Northeastern Quebec, with more planned in areas of Newfoundland & Labrador in the near future.
"We strongly believe everyone should be connected to 4G LTE, no matter where they live in Canada – even in areas where high-speed service may not be economically viable," said Eric Li, president of Huawei Canada, in a press release.
For those following the Huawei story this year, an announcement such as this has a deeper aim than just connecting the far reaches of Canada. It will show Huawei as a responsible corporate citizen which no one has to fear, as all await the federal government’s decision on whether Huawei will be allowed to continue selling gear to Canadian carriers, or if the Chinese tech manufacturer is a security risk.
"Huawei Canada has been operating in Canada for more than a decade and employs more than 1,100 people across our great country. Amid the anticipation about 5G wireless technology, let's not forget that many remote areas still lack reliable 3G or 4G LTE service. This initiative will help Canada meet its United Nations commitment to deliver high-speed internet to all Canadians by 2030. With faster and more reliable access to the Internet, the people of Canada's North can be better connected than ever before to the rest of the country – and the rest of the world," said Huawei Canada's vice-president of corporate affairs Alykhan Velshi at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa.
"As a business, we have previously helped operators solve unique challenges from connecting remote northern communities – such as ensuring Radio Access Network (RAN) equipment will function in some of the coldest temperatures on earth,” added Velshi.
"We need to use highly reliable, world-class equipment to minimize physical intervention and to avoid outages that risk making our communities isolated once again. That's why we partner with Huawei Canada," said Jean-Francois Dumoulin, vice president of regulatory and government affairs at Ice Wireless and Iristel, in the Huawei press release.
To mark the next phase of its ongoing commitment to Canada's North, Huawei has also commissioned three short films profiling several northern residents in their communities – each of whom relies on Internet access to develop and promote their small businesses.
Shot on location in Iqaluit and Inuvik using a Huawei P30 Pro smartphone and other equipment, the videos will soon begin to air as advertisements in Canadian movie theatres.
"Connectivity remains inaccessible and unaffordable to many Nunavummiut who rely exclusively on satellite networks for connectivity, which both limits bandwidth and increases cost," said Harry Flaherty, president and CEO of Qikiqtaaluk Corporation and Group of Companies, in the release. "Bold investments in connectivity will allow us to create a national digital transportation network, the future essential service and lifeline of Nunavut's 25 communities."
The company also provided further details on its previous commitment to train 1,000 Canadians over the next year under a new national information and communications talent development program by announcing this will include extensive training and learning opportunities for residents in the Far North.
Beginning this fall, “Huawei Canada will work with partner organizations to engage post-secondary technology instructors in customized training programs, bringing world-class and industry-leading technology to Canada's North via ‘Train the Trainers’,” reads its release. “These opportunities will connect the instructors and their students to partner organizations across Canada. Included in the program is an opportunity to travel to the Huawei facilities in China.”
