SaskTel has announced the following communities are set to get wireless service for the first time: Wollaston Lake, Stony Rapids, Fond du Lac First Nation and Black Lake First Nation.
The service is set to launch in 2015 and is a partnership between Athabasca Basin Development and Huawei, part of SaskTel’s Community Participation Model where communities are encouraged to raise funds to cover the economic shortfall should a cellular site not be feasible for the latter to finance alone.
“SaskTel customers experience a level of connectivity that is rare in other sparsely populated parts of the world. We are committed to connecting our rural and northern communities,“ said SaskTel President and CEO Ron Styles. “Our Community Participation Model makes it possible for smaller communities to have access to our world-class wireless network.”
SaskTel estimated the total project would cost $5.8 million over five years to build and operate the network in four communities, resulting in a shortfall of $634,000. Athabasca Basin Development provided $249,000 and Huawei gave $385,000 in funding to make the project possible.
