Rogers has finished a $10 million internet upgrade that brings faster and more reliable service to about 3,000 homes and businesses across Pender, Mayne and Galiano Islands in southern British Columbia, just north of Victoria.
The company installed a nearly 8km fibre-optic cable under the ocean to connect the Southern Gulf Islands to the mainland. That fibre line replaces older infrastructure and dramatically increases download speeds from 25 Mbps to 2 Gbps—an 80-fold jump.
“We are committed to bringing the best communications and entertainment experiences to customers across the country,” said Bret Leech, President, Residential, Rogers, in a statement. “Now residents on the Southern Gulf Islands can use Rogers Xfinity, Canada’s most reliable internet, to stream, make video calls and more.”
Laying the fibre wasn’t easy says Rogers. The remote islands posed construction challenges, so Rogers brought in a crew of 40 people, five vessels, and divers to install the cable along the ocean floor without disturbing the environment. In total, the team clocked more than 12,000 hours on the job.
The new setup means residents who’ve struggled with slow or unstable connections will now have internet that can handle video calls, remote work, streaming, and more—rain or shine.
The underwater cable is also designed to withstand bad weather, a common issue for island communities where storms often knock out power and service.
The upgrade marks a major infrastructure boost for the Gulf Islands, which are among the harder-to-reach places in coastal B.C.
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