WOODSTOCK, NB — Xplornet pledged Friday to bring 5G-ready services to rural homes and businesses in New Brunswick next year, providing dramatically faster Internet access across the province.
New Brunswick Premier Brian Gallant and Xplornet President and CEO Allison Lenehan jointly announced today that New Brunswick will be the site of a new showcase for the latest 5G-ready Internet technology, making the province one of the first in Canada to access 5G services for its rural residents once the technology is available in 2019.
Delivering speeds up to 100 megabits per second (Mbps) to rural communities in New Brunswick, the hybrid fibre wireless network to be installed by Xplornet will use 3500 MHz spectrum, which is the same spectrum currently being used for Xplornet’s 5G trials.
“At Xplornet our mission is to enable rural Canadians to live where they want to live, and connect to what matters,” Lenehan said in a news release. “5G is not just about cities — it is about all of the unique services it can enable wherever you are in Canada. We are proud to be able to use the power of new technology and innovation to enrich people’s lives, especially in our home province.”
Xplornet said the total cost of the project is $30 million, with the total contribution of the province of New Brunswick being $10 million.
The first phase of the project will begin immediately and is expected to be completed by the end of 2019, Xplornet said.
