2008 news releases

SaskTel to invest $123 million in its Saskatchewan network

April 17, 2008

SaskTel will mark its centennial with a $123-million investment in its Saskatchewan network in 2008. Residential and business customers in communities across the province can expect improved and expanded SaskTel services as a result of this latest major capital investment.

“SaskTel has spent 100 years building a world-leading communications network for Saskatchewan,” Minister of Crown Corporations Ken Cheveldayoff said. “This year’s capital investment is just the latest demonstration of SaskTel’s ongoing commitment to delivering superior service to residential and business customers across our province.

“Since 1987, SaskTel has invested more than $3.1 billion in our Saskatchewan network,” SaskTel President and CEO Robert Watson said. “Our work continues in 2008 with our ongoing efforts to deliver higher bandwidth, expanded coverage and the latest new communication and entertainment services to our valued customers.”

Highlights of this year’s investment program include:

• Next Generation Access Infrastructure (NGAI) – Initiated in 2006, NGAI is a five-year $310 million program to offer increased bandwidth by providing fiber optic cable closer to customer homes and businesses. In 2008, the third year of the NGAI program, SaskTel will invest approximately $22 million to continue to increase the bandwidth of SaskTel’s access network.
• Evolving SaskTel’s leading-edge Max™ Entertainment Services – Customers can watch high definition television, on-demand movies, surf the internet, send and receive e-mail and participate in electronic commerce such as home banking or shopping all on the TV and all with one bundle over SaskTel’s High Speed Internet network. SaskTel will invest approximately $24 million in Max this year to meet customer demand and make ongoing enhancements.
• Digital Cellular coverage improvements to the SaskTel digital cellular network – the most extensive, far-reaching cellular network in the province offering digital cellular service and 1xRTT functionality to over 95% of the population. By the end of 2008, SaskTel will have invested more than $170 million in its digital cellular network, offering digital cellular service to 97% of Saskatchewan’s population. SaskTel will invest capital of approximately $34 million in its digital cellular network this year.
• High speed internet improvements – By the end of 2008, SaskTel will have invested over $176 million to bring a high quality, price-competitive high speed internet service to 88% of the Saskatchewan population. SaskTel will continue to improve high speed internet access in 2008 with a capital investment of approximately $3 million.
• Basic network growth and enhancements – $40 million.

For more information, please contact:

Andy Tate, SaskTel Media Relations
(306) 777-4548
andy.tate@sasktel.sk.ca