SaskTel announced Tuesday it will invest approximately $465.9 million of capital across Saskatchewan in its 2025/26 fiscal year, which started April 1, to expand and enhance its network infrastructure and services.
“Over half the investments we’ll be making in 2025/26 will be used to expand our fibre optic broadband and 5G networks to residents living in smaller communities, as well as rural and Northern parts of the province,” Charlene Gavel, SaskTel’s president and CEO, said in a press release. “Through these investments we’re doing our part to empower and enrich the lives of our customers all across Saskatchewan.”
The provincial Crown corporation’s capital spending this fiscal year will include $111.5 million for 5G deployment, including the construction of five new cell sites and 5G upgrades on more than 170 existing cell sites serving rural, resort and First Nations communities as well as major highway corridors and other rural areas.
SaskTel said it plans to invest $90.5 million in its fibre-to-the-premises and fibre-to-the-business initiatives (collectively called FTTx). These investments will allow SaskTel to expand its infiNET network to as many as 60 communities included in its Rural Fibre Initiative, the telco said. In addition, SaskTel will also work to complete its fibre network builds in the province’s nine major urban centres, with a focus on connecting multi-dwelling units and businesses to the infiNET network, it said.
Furthermore, SaskTel is investing $83.5 million in its Aurora program, a new initiative partly funded by the federal government’s Universal Broadband Fund (UBF), through which SaskTel plans to expand its infiNET network to residents in more than 30 northern and indigenous communities. In 2025/26, SaskTel expects to complete the construction of eight new cell sites to bring wireless coverage to Birch Narrows First Nation, Island Lake (Ministikwan Lake Cree Nation) and Turnor Lake, as well as along Highway 106, also known as Hanson Lake Road. SaskTel plans to launch infiNet service in as many as 23 northern and indigenous communities this fiscal year, with the remaining communities included in the Aurora program expected to receive infiNet service by the end of March 2027. SaskTel said it expects to receive up to $139 million of UBF funding to complete the Aurora program.
Other capital expenditures this fiscal year include $77.1 million of technology spend that SaskTel plans to use to strengthen its core networks, enhance SaskTel selectWI-FI, maintain maxTV infrastructure and improve its access networks.
SaskTel also plans to spend $102.9 million to improve its customer services and operations systems, including investments in the ongoing transformation of its customer relationship management (CRM) system, customer premise equipment, and enhancements to its information systems infrastructure. These improvements aim to support SaskTel’s frontline operations and offer customers self-service options and seamless interactions across all channels, SaskTel said.
SaskTel’s planned capital expenditures for 2025/26 represent a $26-million increase over the investments it announced last year for its 2024/25 fiscal year.
Photo via SaskTel
