The federal government and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador have partnered to provide the province with $94 million for high-speed internet projects.
The government bodies have allocated the funds to Bell and Xplore, who will collectively bring high-speed internet access to 36,000 homes and over 350 rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.
Xplore is doing so by deploying fibre-to-the-home and 5G fixed wireless technologies to residents and businesses. The move will provide speeds up to 40 times faster than what rural communities currently have access to, the company said in a press release.
“Xplore’s goal is to deliver a true broadband experience that will enable Newfoundland residents to more fully enjoy rural living,” Cathy MacDonald, Xplore’s COO, said.
Xplore’s expansion will connect 270 rural communities to fibre-to-the-premise internet, and upwards of 100,000 homes and businesses will be able to access gigabit speeds.
Bell’s project will also benefit dozens of communities.
“Reliable high-speed internet access is a key contributor to the development of communities both large and small, and we’re proud to partner with the Government of Canada and the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador to expand our all-fibre broadband network to even more communities,” Glen LeBlanc, Bell’s CFO, said.
Funding from the two government bodies comes from a February 2022 announcement that saw the governments commit $136 million to connect residents with high-speed internet.
