Northwestel invests CAD 233 mln to enhance network

President and Chief Executive Officer at Northwestel. “In addition to supplying more northern communities with enhanced services, the plan puts in place measures to facilitate competition and builds on partnerships with other parties. The Northwestel plan outlines how we will bring next generation wireless and broadband services to the North and essentially reduce distances with technology. This plan puts northerners first and provides our customers with access to modern and innovative services.”

Northwestel’s $233 million investment will be allocated to support core infrastructure and to upgrade and expand new services by:
[list style=”unordered” type=”type1″] Bringing 3G wireless broadband service to an additional 67 northern communities, enabling 99 per cent of northerners to access the latest handsets, smartphones and tablets.
Upgrading existing wireline Digital Subscriber Line (DSL) and cable infrastructure to at least double Internet speeds in 58 communities across Northern Canada within five years.
Delivering Enhanced Calling Features, including Call Display, to all 96 communities in Northwestel’s operating area.
Enabling 84 per cent of the northern population to keep their phone numbers if they choose to switch to another service provider.
[/list] “The team at Northwestel is excited by the opportunity to implement this modernization plan and provide the communities we serve and our customers with an unprecedented level of service,” said Flaherty. “We are working continuously to put our customers first at Northwestel and are committed to providing these new services over the next few years. We are working to ensure the customer is the winner as a result of this modernization plan.”

Northwestel’s current modernization plan confirms its commitment to invest $233 million in capital. This will be the most ambitious expansion of communications technology ever undertaken in Northern Canada and will provide Northwestel’s customers with leading-edge telecommunications services. Northwestel submitted its modernization plan to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) on January 16, 2012.