REGINA – The Government of Saskatchewan this week launched a brand new four-phase initiative with the goal of providing rural communities with enhanced access to wireless and high speed wired internet services.
Developed in consultation with its own Crown corporation, SaskTel, the program will provide “rural areas of our province with world-class communications services,” said premier Brad Wall in a press release. “Having access to the latest technology is critical to Saskatchewan’s ability to compete and prosper in the national and global economies.”
The four phases, reads the official announcement, are:
- Phase 1: SaskTel will invest $4.2 million to expand its fixed wireless high speed Fusion Internet network to 34 additional rural locations in the province, bringing the number of Fusion equipped towers to 102. Fusion provides download speeds up to 10 Mbps.
Deployment of these Phase 1 improvements are already underway, with SaskTel committed to launching six of these High Speed Fusion equipped towers in the vicinities of Aberdeen, Allan, Dundurn, Marshall, Silver Park and Weyburn by the end of January 2018. The remaining towers will be in service by spring 2018.
In addition, SaskTel has applied to the federal government’s Connect to Innovate program to access funding to equip 17 additional towers with Fusion. Should funding be approved, the total number of Fusion equipped towers in the province will rise to 119.
- Phase 2: SaskTel will commence the deployment of a small cell site solution that will provide improved cellular services in 100 rural communities early in the new year. SaskTel will begin announcing the locations for the new sites as they become finalized and once construction begins, the provincial telco expects to complete the deployment of all small cell sites by the end of 2020.
- Phase 3: SaskTel will look to enhance cooperation with independent providers in Saskatchewan with the goal of increasing opportunities to improve rural wireless services in rural Saskatchewan.
- Phase 4: MLA Warren Kaeding, Legislative Secretary to the Minister Responsible for SaskTel with a focus on rural connectivity, will work with municipalities across the province to identify coverage gaps in rural Saskatchewan.
The full implementation of the plan is expected to take five years, with the first two phases completed by 2020. For more, including the exact location of those new Fusion towers, please click here.
