REGINA – SaskTel has pledged to continue to support its approximately 8,000 customers who will no longer have access to high speed wireless Internet once the federal government takes back spectrum at the end of 2012.
“SaskTel is making every effort to ensure that rural high speed customers continue to have high quality Internet access,” said Minister Responsible for SaskTel Don McMorris. “SaskTel will continue to be an industry leader in rural customer service, by investing in the latest communications solutions available.
SaskTel provides high speed service to approximately 3% of its customers over a fixed wireless broadband network. Due to changes in spectrum allocation made by the federal government, combined with the deterioration aging equipment required to maintain the current fixed wireless network, SaskTel will be discontinuing this network at the end of 2012.
The Crown utility says it will be providing customers on the fixed wireless broadband network two options for an alternative high speed internet service. They can choose from SaskTel High Throughput Satellite (HTS) Internet Service Powered by Xplornet or a 4G Mobile Internet Stick service plan.
There are 11 towers that serve about 1,000 customers outside the current satellite coverage area. For these customers, the 4G Mobile Internet Stick is the alternative until SaskTel High Throughput Satellite Internet Service is offered in early 2013. SaskTel says it will be exploring all alternative options available for these customers over the next several months.
To ease the transition SaskTel will not be charging for the equipment or adding sign-up fees with a 3 year contract for either of the services. It adds if customers have not received a letter from SaskTel informing them of this situation, their high speed internet will not be impacted.
Since 2010, SaskTel has also expanded its DSL High Speed Internet network (landline) to 85 new communities. In total, SaskTel provides DSL High Speed Internet services to over 339 communities throughout Saskatchewan. If customers currently on a fixed wireless service are in these communities, DSL High Speed Internet services may also be an alternative.
