Today SaskTel announced that subscribers living in the following communities that formerly received a maximum of 1.5 Mbps (megabits per second) download speed will be automatically upgraded to the faster SaskTel High Speed Internet Basic Level 2 package, giving speeds of up to 5 Mbps download, at no additional cost: Beauval Mission, Big River, Canoe Lake Cree FN, Canoe Narrows FN, Chamakese Resort, Chitek Lake, Chitek Lake FN, Clearwater River Dene Nation, Codette, Cowessess FN, Cumberland House FN, Debden, Dundurn CFB, Fort San, Hall Lake FN, James Smith Cree Nation, Kisbey, Laird, La Loche, La Loche FN, North Portal, Ocean Man FN, Red Earth Cree Nation, Red Earth Cree Nation FN, Rhein, Turnor Lake, Turnor Lake FN, Weldon, and Witchekan Lake FN.

SaskTel also announced residents of Sintaluta and Rabbit Lake will now be able to enjoy the benefits of SaskTel High Speed Internet service. Residents of these communities are now eligible to subscribe to SaskTel’s High Speed Basic Level 2 package that gives speeds of up to 5 Mbps (megabits per second) download or SaskTel’s High Speed Advanced service that gives download speeds of up to 10 Mbps.

“Our government recognizes rural Saskatchewan needs access to High Speed Internet,” said Kevin Doherty, Minister Responsible for SaskTel. “The world is becoming increasingly connected and this expansion will benefit both private customers using the Internet for home entertainment and business customers working from their home community.”

This expansion is part of the long-term strategy to increase access to High Speed Internet in rural Saskatchewan that was introduced at the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities 2013 annual conference. SaskTel’s Rural Strategy includes upgrading speeds to 10 Mbps download in over 220 existing DSL communities, in addition to expanding DSL of up to 5 Mbps to 50 additional communities. SaskTel provides DSL Internet access to over 400 communities and First Nations in Saskatchewan.

SaskTel High Speed Internet provides a superior user experience with unlimited Internet access and downloading, faster speeds, spam and email virus filtering, around-the-clock helpdesk support and installations – all for one low price.

For more information or to subscribe to our DSL High Speed Internet service, customers can visit any SaskTel Authorized Dealer or SaskTel Store, visit our web site at www.sasktel.com, or call 1-800-SASKTEL (1-800-727-5835).

About SaskTel
Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corporation (SaskTel) is the leading full service communications provider in Saskatchewan, with $1.2 billion in annual revenue and over 1.4 million customer connections including over 607,000 wireless accesses, 492,000 wireline network accesses, 250,000 internet accesses and 100,000 maxTV subscribers. SaskTel offers a wide range of communications products and services including competitive voice, data, internet, entertainment, security monitoring, messaging, cellular, wireless data and directory services. In addition, SaskTel International offers software solutions and project consulting in countries around the world. SaskTel and its wholly-owned subsidiaries have a workforce of approximately 4,000 full-time equivalent employees (FTEs). Visit SaskTel at www.sasktel.com.

For media inquiries only, please contact:

Tara Tibeau, SaskTel Manager of External Communications
Phone: (306) 777-4548
Email: tara.tibeau@sasktel.com