Canadian provincial full-service operator SaskTel has announced that its ‘infiNET’ branded fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) broadband network services are available to more than 200,000 homes and businesses throughout Saskatchewan. In a deployment beginning in 2011, SaskTel has now completed infiNET rollout in Estevan, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Swift Current and Weyburn, whilst passing 55% and 68% of homes respectively in Regina and Saskatoon, the province’s two largest cities. The FTTP project has achieved over 60% of its goal to cover all residents of Saskatchewan’s nine largest urban centres, currently offering 260Mbps/60Mbps download/upload internet services.
The FTTP programme is part of SaskTel’s commitment to invest over CAD300 million (USD226 million) in CAPEX in Saskatchewan in 2017/18 and CAD1.4 billion through 2016-2021. Also this month the telco announced plans to upgrade the broadband services in 46 Indigenous and First Nations communities throughout Saskatchewan in 2017/18, with all these communities having their internet speeds either doubled or tripled. Federation of Sovereign Indigenous Nations Chief Bobby Cameron commented: ‘In today’s interconnected world, reliable access to high speed internet contributes to the economic success of our youth living on reserve and in remote communities.’