Today SaskTel announced that it will invest approximately $302 million of capital in Saskatchewan in 2017-2018* and over $1.4 billion through the next five years. The investment will ensure SaskTel customers across the province will continue to receive some of the best and most advanced wireless, television, Internet, data, and IP-based technologies and services available today. 

“Our Government remains focused on the future success of Saskatchewan and our residents,” said Dustin Duncan, Minister Responsible for SaskTel. “SaskTel’s ongoing investments will ensure that the people of our province continue to have access to the innovative and reliable communications services that are so vital in today’s connected world.”  

“We are committed to investing in the future of this province to make certain that it’s residents continue to have access to some of the most advanced networks and technologies anywhere,” said Ron Styles, SaskTel President and CEO.  “Since 2010, SaskTel has invested over $2 billion in capital to build and expand our networks across Saskatchewan to provide our customers with the products and services that allow them to connect to their world.” 

Highlights of this year’s core Saskatchewan investment program include: 

• In 2017-18, SaskTel will invest $56.5 million in its Fibre to the Premises Program (FTTP).  

  • Bringing infiNET to Saskatchewan consumers is a $670 million twelve-year program announced in 2012 which targets to have 100% of homes in the nine major centres in the province passed by 2022. In 2017-18, the FTTP program will pass over 15,000 homes with a focus of connecting 15,900 more customers to infiNET in Regina, Saskatoon, Moose Jaw, Prince Albert, Swift Current, Weyburn, Estevan, Yorkton, and Rosthern.

  • Fibre optics will allow SaskTel to deploy download speeds up to 260 Megabits per second (Mbps) initially, with the capacity to significantly increase speeds over time. Customers will be able to enjoy faster download and upload speeds which will enhance the online experience streaming video, uploading photos or videos, or participating in real-time gaming and video chat. infiNET will also support up to 7 HD capable set top boxes, the ability to combine faster Internet speeds with maxTV while improving the TV watching experience.   

• In 2017-18, SaskTel will invest $41.7 million for wireless network enhancements.  This includes:
   
• $ 33.3 million - Long Term Evolution (LTE) enhancements - The 4G LTE network covers 99% of the population of the province and provides data speeds approximately 10 times faster than 4G allowing customers to stream HD movies, high quality video and music, share pictures and videos, game faster than ever before and download applications lightning fast.
• $3.0 million - SaskTel Select Wi-Fi expansion.
• $5.4 million - Wireless network demand and growth including $1.9 million for Long Term Evolution — Time Division Duplex (LTE-TDD) Fusion capacity enhancements. 

• In 2017-18, SaskTel will invest $89.1 million on several initiatives to meet wireline network growth.  This includes:
  
  
• Network modernization- $10.2 million
• Access and Core Demand and Growth - $43.0 million
• Regional Ethernet Transport Improvements– $10.2 million
• Community Participation Programs and Partnerships - $1.6 million
• maxTV Growth - $15.8 million
• Customer Premise Equipment (CPE) - $8.3 million 

• SaskTel will also invest $114.6 million to improve customer services through new IT platforms and service enhancements. Key initiatives include:
  
  
• Enhance customer self-serve and e-commerce platforms  
• Launch updated facilities management system to improve the efficiency of inventorying and assigning facilities for service delivery to satisfy customer requests to add, change, and move wireline, IP and fibre optic network services. 

*Capital spending is for the fiscal year 2017-2018 – April 1, 2017 – March 31, 2018.

2017-18 Capital Investment
   

About SaskTel

SaskTel is the leading Information and Communications Technology (ICT) provider in Saskatchewan, with over $1.2 billion in annual revenue and approximately 1.4 million customer connections including 616,000 wireless accesses, 383,000 wireline network accesses, 275,000 Internet accesses and 110,000 maxTV™ subscribers. SaskTel and its wholly-owned subsidiaries offer a wide range of ICT products and services including competitive voice, data and Internet services, wireless data services, maxTV services, data centre services, cloud-based services, security monitoring services, advertising services, and international software and consulting services. SaskTel and its wholly-owned subsidiaries have a workforce of approximately 4,000 full-time equivalent employees (FTEs). Visit SaskTel at sasktel.com. 

For media inquiries, please contact:

Greg Jacobs, Manager of External Communications

Phone:(306)777.3433
Email: greg.jacobs@sasktel.com