SASKATOON – Between now and 2010, provincial Crown Corporation SaskTel will spend $310 million on what its calling its next generation access infrastructure (NGAI).
This bit of info was first reported by www.cartt.ca in December. The whole idea is to bring huge bandwidth to as many Saskatchewan residents as the government-owned telco can feasibly reach. With that bandwidth will come HDTV, PVR, PPV, VOD, VOIP, and maybe even some acronyms that haven’t yet been thought up.
SaskTel will spend $136.5 million of that money in 2006.
Beyond investment earmarked for NGAI, the company will spend a total of $245 million on its network in 2006.
“SaskTel is proving yet again that it is committed to investing in Saskatchewan ‘s future,” said Maynard Sonntag, Minister Responsible for SaskTel. “Since 1997, SaskTel has invested more than $2.7 billion in its provincial network, and the company is committed to providing the people of Saskatchewan with the best possible services at the lowest possible cost, today and tomorrow.”
“This major capital investment in SaskTel’s infrastructure will enable the company to enhance services like high speed internet and Max Entertainment Services (its digital TV service which is approaching 50,000 customers), and to offer next generation services like voice-over-IP,” added Robert Watson, SaskTel president and CEO.
“Over the next five years, SaskTel will bring fibre optic cable closer to customer homes, allowing the delivery of enhanced services such as high definition TV and increased Internet speeds. We will also continue to focus on improvements to our digital cellular network throughout the province,” he said.
Highlights of this year’s investment program include:
* Next Generation Access Infrastructure (NGAI) – Over the next five years, NGAI will enable SaskTel to offer increased bandwidth by providing fibre optic cable closer to customer homes. NGAI will result in improved service to Internet and Max customers and the addition of next generation services such as VOIP. NGAI will enable SaskTel to compete successfully in the marketplace and to continue expanding internet and cellular service to rural Saskatchewan.
* Digital Cellular – Coverage improvements to the SaskTel digital cellular network – the most extensive, far-reaching cellular network in the province. By the end of 2006, SaskTel will have invested more than $120 million in its digital network, offering digital cellular service and wireless data functionality to approximately 95% of Saskatchewan’s population. SaskTel will invest capital of approximately $37 million in its digital cellular network this year. This includes provincial coverage improvements and expansion ($12 million) and general network improvements ($25 million).
* CommunityNet II – This program provides wireless high speed Internet access to a minimum of 71 communities in the province. Upon completion of the CommunityNet II initiative, SaskTel will have invested approximately $173 million to bring a high quality, price-competitive high speed internet service to Saskatchewan residents and businesses. SaskTel will invest approximately $16 million in the CommunityNet II program in 2006.
* Evolving SaskTel’s leading-edge Max Entertainment Services. Customers can watch television and movies, surf the Internet, send and receive e-mail and participate in electronic commerce such as home banking or shopping all on the TV and all in one bundle over SaskTel’s High Speed Internet network. SaskTel will invest approximately $20 million in Max this year to meet customer demand, make ongoing enhancements and add new features such as personal video recorder and live event pay-per-view.
