100 MILE HOUSE, B.C. – Travellers on highways near 100 Mile House will be able to use their cell phones thanks to a partnership with the province and Telus which has invested $1.8 million to provide new wireless coverage to stretches of highways in the area.
The three new wireless sites cover the Lone Butte to Bridge Lake segment of Highway 24 and the Lac la Hache to 141 Mile House stretch of Highway 97.
The sites are now live, providing service to more than 50 kilometres of highway as well as homes and businesses in the area.
“At Telus, we know how important wireless services are, and continue to make significant investments in our networks to bring them to our customers in the Cariboo and right across Canada,” said Steve Jenkins, Telus general manager for the Southern Interior. “Our significant investment in sites serving Cariboo highways gives motorists, as well as area residents and businesses, the convenience of making hands-free wireless calls along stretches of highway that are often remote, expands access to 911, and allows for great broadband service where it may not be possible to build wired Internet access.”
The project is part of the 10-year Connecting British Columbia agreement signed with the Province of B.C. earlier last year. Under the terms of the contract Telus will connect more than 1,700 kilometres of highway with wireless service.
“This is fantastic news for everyone who travels through the Cariboo area,” said Citizens’ Services and Open Government Minister Ben Stewart. “By working together, we’re providing new cellular coverage and expanding wireless coverage along unconnected highways – and that means safer travelling for rural families and businesses.”
“The highways near 100 Mile House see a lot of traffic every day, so it’s wonderful that wireless service is being expanded along those stretches,” said Donna Barnett, MLA for Cariboo-Chilcotin. “It’s important our local motorists feel safe and comfortable while on the road.”
