These rural Sask. communities are slated to get cell service upgrades
A SaskTel store is shown here in downtown Saskatoon. (Kevin Menz/CTV Saskatoon)
Cell towers serving 30 rural Saskatchewan communities are slated to be upgraded to improve wireless service.
SaskTel announced on Wednesday that it plans to invest approximately $10 million to upgrade cell towers in rural areas.
As part of these network upgrades, SaskTel will be establishing Samsung Radio Access Network (RAN) equipment on the towers which will increase the data capacity for customers, according to a news release.
The rural communities that will be receiving the upgrades are Baildon, Big River First Nation, Blaine Lake, Bruno, Cando, Canwood, Choiceland, Crooked River, Cutknife, Glaslyn, Gravelbourg, Greenstree, Hafford, Hodgeville, Ituna, Kipabiskau Regional Park, Lake Alma, Leader, Lestock, Montmartre, Nekaneet Cree Nation, Norquay, Oxbow, Quill Lake, Rabbit Lake, Shellbrook, Turtleford, Warmley, Willow Bunch, and Witchekan Lake.
Doug Burnett, SaskTel president and CEO, said the upgrades will also lay the foundation for the deployment of 5G in those communities in the future.
“We continue our work to bring the next generation in wireless technology to our customers across the province,” Burnett said in the news release.
The upgrades stem from SaskTel’s commitment to invest more than $1.5 billion of capital across the province over the next five years.
“This investment by SaskTel will ensure residents in these rural communities continue to enjoy high quality and reliable communication services,” said Don Morgan, Minister Responsible for SaskTel.
SaskTel has begun work and expects most of the upgrades will be complete by the end of March, 2023.
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