REGINA – Crown Corporation SaskTel today announced that it will invest $11.3 million to expand or improve 1xEV-DO cellular service in 60 locations across the province by the end of 2008. 1xEV-DO Rev A technology provides data speeds up to 20 times faster than what is currently available in most areas.
With this new expansion, 56 communities will receive 1xEV-DO service for the first time. While 1xEV-DO service has been available in Regina, Saskatoon, Martensville and White City since 2005, this new version of 1xEV-DO will also increase speeds in those communities.
“This latest network enhancement, combined with this year’s previously announced improvement and expansion initiatives, will bring SaskTel’s total investment in digital cellular service since 1998 to over $138 million. Over 95 percent of Saskatchewan residents now have access to SaskTel digital cellular service,” said Minister Responsible for SaskTel Deb Higgins.
“With the higher speeds made possible by 1xEV-DO technology, SaskTel cellular customers will be able to use wireless data services such as content downloads, video and audio streaming, mail and messaging, push-to-talk service, and web browsing at speeds close to residential internet high speed connections,” added SaskTel President and CEO Robert Watson,
1xEV-DO Rev A is a third generation network technology available to Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) cellular carriers that will support download speeds of up to 3.1 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 1.8 Mbps. If customers roam outside of the 1xEV-DO coverage area, the device will switch to 1xRTT coverage automatically. SaskTel’s entire digital network has been enabled with1xRTT functionality since 2003.
The 56 new 1xEV-DO locations are:
Abbey
Alameda
Alida
Beaufield
Belle Plaine
Benson
Bethune
Bladworth
Blewett
Cabri
Cactus Lake
Caron
Chamberlain
Charette Lake
Craik
Cut Knife
Dalmeny
Davidson
Duck Lake
Dundurn
Englishman Lake
Estevan
Findlater
Fox Valley
Furness
Goodwater
Greenstreet
Hanley
Kenaston
Kerrobert
Kindersley
La Ronge
Lashburn
Lumsden
Luseland
Macklin
Maidstone
Major
Maple Creek
Marshall
Meadow Lake
Melfort
Melville
Moose Jaw
North Battleford
Onion Lake
Pense
Prince Albert
Red Deer Hill
Richmound
Silver Lake
Smiley
St. Walburg
Stoughton
Swift Current
Turtleford
