SaskTel is serious when they talk about providing service to rural and remote areas, as its most recent additions to its cell tower network are in many cases so far off the beaten path, you may have to consult Google Earth to find them.
The Crown corporation announced on Feb. 1 it had recently launched six new macro cell towers. These new towers are located near the communities of Beresina, between MacNutt and Churchbridge; Gibbs, north of Craven; Glentworth, east of Mankota; Jumping Lake, northeast of Wakaw; Muddy Lake, south of Unity; and Wandsworth, east of Blaine Lake.
“Our government understands how important communication services have become in the modern world, especially in rural and remote areas,” said Don Morgan, Minister Responsible for SaskTel in a release. “Through the Wireless Saskatchewan initiative, and thanks to the efforts of SaskTel, we’re raising the level of connectivity in rural and remote parts of the province so that our residents are better equipped to compete and succeed in the modern world.”
“As illustrated by a recent report from the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), Saskatchewan already has the best wireless coverage in Western Canada, with over 99 per cent of the population and 98 per cent of the major roadways and highways being covered with LTE wireless service,” said Doug Burnett, SaskTel president and CEO. “And, with the addition of these new towers, wireless coverage in Saskatchewan is getting even better.”
These towers are part of the final phase of the Wireless Saskatchewan initiative, which will see SaskTel invest over $70 million to construct 74 macro cell towers in rural parts of the province – see appendix for locations. Once the final phase of the program is complete, SaskTel’s wireless network will grow to include more than 1,000 cell towers, over 700 of which being located in rural parts of the province.
SaskTel anticipates that all of the cell towers to be constructed as part of the Wireless Saskatchewan initiative will be complete by early Summer 2021.
Added Burnett, “We’re firmly committed to be the best at connecting the people of Saskatchewan, and it’s this commitment that drives us to continue to invest in our networks so that our customers have access to the services they need to stay in touch with what matters most to them from almost anywhere in the province.”
