SaskTel Launches High Speed Fusion Internet Service to Remaining 43 WBBI Towers
SaskTel Launches High Speed Fusion Internet Service to Remaining 43 WBBI Towers
SaskTel is pleased to announce the launch of SaskTel High Speed Fusion Internet Service, a new fixed wireless LTE-TDD service, for its Wireless Broadband Internet (WBBI) customers receiving WBBI service on the 43 remaining WBBI towers across the Province. SaskTel is required to return the spectrum required to operate WBBI to Industry Canada and will be migrating all existing WBBI customers to the new High Speed Fusion service prior to the end of 2014.
“We have had a successful launch of High Speed Fusion Internet on the first 12 WBBI tower locations and we are now rolling out this service to all remaining WBBI customers,” said Ron Styles, SaskTel President and CEO. “This is a brand new technology for Saskatchewan and Canada that provides our WBBI customers with more than twice the speed of the existing WBBI service.”
SaskTel High Speed Fusion Internet Service will initially be available only to existing WBBI customers and will be the recommended Internet choice for these customers. Customers can also choose SaskTel Satellite Internet service (legacy satellite service) or 4G mobile Internet service if they are in a 4G coverage area. We anticipate High Speed Fusion Internet Service will be available to any new customers within the coverage area of the 55 WBBI towers by the fourth quarter of 2014.
SaskTel High Speed Fusion Internet Service will be available for $79.99 per month and will offer download speeds of up to 5 Mbps. With a download speed of 5 Mbps customers can download 10 photos as quick as 1 minute, download 15 songs as fast as 2 minutes or download a (regular/standard) movie in just 45 minutes. Existing WBBI customers will be eligible for a special conversion offer including free installation, no equipment purchase required and a special credit of $200. This offer is valued at over $800.
A tentative deployment schedule is attached and WBBI customers receiving service from these 43 towers will be required to migrate to a new service. Customers will be notified after the deployment of the High Speed Fusion Internet Service in their location.
About SaskTel
SaskTel is the leading Saskatchewan-based Information and Communications Technology (ICT) provider, with over $1.2 billion in annual revenue and over 1.4 million customer connections including 615,694 wireless accesses, 467,957 wireline network accesses, 254,873 Internet and data accesses, and 101,147 maxTV subscribers. SaskTel offers a wide range of ICT products and services including competitive voice, data, Internet, entertainment, national security, messaging, cellular, wireless data, and data centre services. SaskTel and its wholly-owned subsidiaries have a workforce of approximately 4,000 full-time equivalent employees (FTEs).
For media inquiries only, please contact:
Michelle Englot, SaskTel Director of External Communications
306-777-4476
Appendix A – Internet Service Options
Existing WBBI Service | Monthly Service Fee | Download speed (up to) | Upload speed (up to) |
Basic WBBI | $59.95 | 2 Mbps | 256 kbps |
WBBI Extra | $299.95 | 3 Mbps | 640 kbps |
SaskTel High Speed Fusion Internet Service | Monthly Service Fee | Download speed (up to) | Upload speed (up to) |
Basic | $79.95 | 5 Mbps | 1 Mbps |
SaskTel Satellite Internet Service | Monthly Service Fee | Download speed (up to) | Upload speed (up to) |
SaskTel Satellite Internet (Basic) | $68.99 | 3 Mbps | 128 kbps |
SaskTel Satellite Internet (Enhanced) | $88.99 | 3 Mbps | 256 kbps |
4G Mobile Internet Plans
Monthly fee | Canada-wide data included1 |
$25 | 500MB |
$30 | 1GB |
$55 | 4GB |
$75 | 8GB |
1Additional data is $0.03 per MB in Canada.
Appendix B - Tentative Deployment Schedule - 43 WBBI Towers
TOWER | TOWER READY DATE | VENDOR INSTALLS BEGIN | TOWER SHUTDOWN |
Lajord | 2-Jun-14 | 9-Jun-14 | 12-Sep-14 |
Regina East | 2-Jun-14 | 9-Jun-14 | 12-Sep-14 |
Lumsden | 2-Jun-14 | 9-Jun-14 | 12-Sep-14 |
Ft Qu'Appelle | 2-Jun-14 | 9-Jun-14 | 12-Sep-14 |
Dysart | 2-Jun-14 | 9-Jun-14 | 12-Sep-14 |
Lemberg | 2-Jun-14 | 9-Jun-14 | 12-Sep-14 |
Peebles | 2-Jun-14 | 9-Jun-14 | 12-Sep-14 |
Cochin | 2-Jun-14 | 9-Jun-14 | 12-Sep-14 |
Kinistino | 2-Jun-14 | 9-Jun-14 | 12-Sep-14 |
Prince Albert | 2-Jun-14 | 9-Jun-14 | 12-Sep-14 |
Meath Park | 16-Jun-14 | 9-Jun-14 | 12-Sep-14 |
Candle Lake | 16-Jun-14 | 9-Jun-14 | 12-Sep-14 |
Paynton | 30-Jun-14 | 7-Jul-14 | 3-Oct-14 |
Neilburg | 30-Jun-14 | 7-Jul-14 | 3-Oct-14 |
Choiceland | 7-Jul-14 | 14-Jul-14 | 3-Oct-14 |
Nipawin | 7-Jul-14 | 14-Jul-14 | 3-Oct-14 |
Plenty | 14-Jul-14 | 21-Jul-14 | 3-Oct-14 |
Netherhill | 14-Jul-14 | 21-Jul-14 | 3-Oct-14 |
Eatonia | 14-Jul-14 | 21-Jul-14 | 3-Oct-14 |
Hafford | 21-Jul-14 | 28-Jul-14 | 3-Oct-14 |
Leask | 21-Jul-14 | 28-Jul-14 | 3-Oct-14 |
Rosthern | 28-Jul-14 | 4-Aug-14 | 24-Oct-14 |
Hague | 28-Jul-14 | 4-Aug-14 | 24-Oct-14 |
Warman | 28-Jul-14 | 4-Aug-14 | 24-Oct-14 |
Saskatoon East | 28-Jul-14 | 4-Aug-14 | 24-Oct-14 |
Viscount | 28-Jul-14 | 4-Aug-14 | 24-Oct-14 |
Bruno | 28-Jul-14 | 4-Aug-14 | 24-Oct-14 |
Middle Lake | 28-Jul-14 | 4-Aug-14 | 24-Oct-14 |
Humboldt | 28-Jul-14 | 4-Aug-14 | 24-Oct-14 |
Annaheim | 28-Jul-14 | 4-Aug-14 | 24-Oct-14 |
Wimmer | 28-Jul-14 | 4-Aug-14 | 24-Oct-14 |
Dorintosh | 28-Jul-14 | 4-Aug-14 | 24-Oct-14 |
Strasbourg | 31-Jul-14 | 7-Aug-14 | 24-Oct-14 |
Raymore | 31-Jul-14 | 7-Aug-14 | 24-Oct-14 |
Lestock | 31-Jul-14 | 7-Aug-14 | 24-Oct-14 |
Canora | 4-Aug-14 | 11-Aug-14 | 14-Nov-14 |
Yorkton | 4-Aug-14 | 11-Aug-14 | 14-Nov-14 |
Calder | 4-Aug-14 | 11-Aug-14 | 14-Nov-14 |
Esterhazy | 4-Aug-14 | 11-Aug-14 | 14-Nov-14 |
Etomami Lake | 2-Jun-14 | 9-Jun-14 | 14-Nov-14 |
Elbow | 14-Aug-14 | 21-Aug-14 | 14-Nov-14 |
Beechy | 14-Aug-14 | 21-Aug-14 | 14-Nov-14 |
Stewart Valley | 14-Aug-14 | 21-Aug-14 | 14-Nov-14 |