Canadian full-service operator Telus announced that it will expand its 5G network to an additional 529 urban and rural communities by the end of this year while expanding its ‘PureFibre’ gigabit internet network to more than one million additional homes and businesses by the same date. Telus aims to cover 70% of the Canadian population with 5G mobile services by end-2021, and a total of more than 3.5 million premises across British Columbia, Alberta and eastern Quebec with gigabit fibre broadband.
The 5G expansion – using existing spectrum holdings – will cover five provinces: British Columbia (187 additional communities), Quebec (161), Alberta (136), Ontario (24) and Manitoba (twelve).
Telus has pledged to invest an additional CAD54 billion (USD44 billion) in infrastructure and operations nationwide in 2021-2024 as it looks to support post-COVID economic recovery. The firm estimates its investments will create over 38,000 job opportunities at Telus and across partner ecosystems over four years, whilst also claiming that ‘the deployment of 5G will create 250,000 jobs and contribute CAD150 billion to Canada’s economy over the next 20 years.’
Telus also highlighted the ongoing development of 5G-enabled health solutions, with faster, more secure connections for video health consultations and remote health monitoring. The company also noted it is partnering the University of Windsor and St. Clair College in Ontario to create 5G Connected Campuses.