SaskTel has today announced its plans to construct 74 new macro cell towers in underserved rural and resort communities of Saskatchewan by early 2021. The company will also increase its investment in the Government of Saskatchewan’s Wireless Saskatchewan initiative by more than $70 million.
Announced in 2017, Wireless Saskatchewan is a multi-phase initiative designed to increase connectivity in rural parts of the province. Once this final phase of the program is complete, SaskTel’s wireless network will grow to include approximately 1,000 cell towers across Saskatchewan.
“We are very proud to continue expanding our cellular network to more rural communities, increasingly busy highway corridors, and resorts to provide world-class wireless services,” SaskTel President and CEO Doug Burnett said. The new towers will help to “bolster and add capacity to our network,” he added.
“In 2017 our government launched the Wireless Saskatchewan initiative which has provided nearly 200 new towers in rural areas,” Minister Responsible for SaskTel Don Morgan said. “It is a top priority to enhance access to communications services in rural Saskatchewan. While these 74 towers will be the final phase of this initiative, we will continue to work with SaskTel and our rural stakeholders to continue to improve communication within the province.”
This will bring SaskTel’s total investment in rural connectivity over the last three years to more than $107 million.
