SaskTel has announced a major capital investment of approximately USD 465.9 million for the 2025-2026 fiscal year to deliver cutting-edge connectivity to residents and businesses across Saskatchewan.
This funding will expand high-speed internet and mobile coverage, particularly in the province’s rural and northern areas.
Jeremy Harrison, Minister Responsible for SaskTel, highlighted, “Our government is delivering for Saskatchewan by investing in communication technologies and infrastructure that people rely on for work, education, healthcare, and staying connected. SaskTel’s investment in expanding its cutting-edge 5G wireless and fiber optic broadband networks will create jobs, drive economic growth, and enhance the quality of life for residents across our province.”
Charlene Gavel, President and CEO at SaskTel, noted, “For nearly 120 years, SaskTel has invested in and constructed the networks that connect the people of our province to each other and their world. Over half the investments we’ll be making in 2025/26 will be used to expand our fiber optic broadband and 5G networks to residents living in smaller communities, as well as rural and northern parts of the province. Through these investments, we’re doing our part to empower and enrich the lives of our customers all across Saskatchewan.”
Also Read: SaskTel Expands 5G Service to Nearly 100 Rural Cell Locations
Key Investment Highlights
The investment program includes a USD 111.5 million allocation for 5G deployment to support technological advancements in sectors such as healthcare, education, agriculture, and resource management. SaskTel will establish five new cell sites and upgrade more than 170 existing sites to 5G, serving rural, resort, and First Nations communities.
The telecom company aims to increase the data speeds its current 5G network delivers to Saskatchewan, accelerating the province’s economy and standard of living.
Another USD 90.5 million will be allocated to expand the infiNET network’s capacity to address the growing demand for higher bandwidth. The investment will also cover SaskTel’s Fiber-to-the-x (FTTx) program, which delivers high-speed internet through the infiNET fiber network. This strategic move will expand fiber services to up to 60 rural communities and complete fiber builds in nine major urban centers, focusing on connecting multi-dwelling units and businesses.
Meanwhile, an investment amounting to USD 83.5 million will be dedicated to the Aurora program to enhance connectivity in underserved regions of northern Saskatchewan. SaskTel plans to construct eight new cell sites in Birch Narrows First Nation, Island Lake (Ministikwan Lake Cree Nation), Turnor Lake, and Highway 106. This will also introduce the infiNET service across 23 northern communities by March 2026, with the remaining communities expected to gain services by March 2027. The program is supported by up to USD 139 million in funding from the Universal Broadband Fund (UBF).
SaskTel will allot USD 77.1 million in technology upgrades to strengthen core networks, enhance select Wi-Fi services, maintain maxTV infrastructure, and improve access networks, ensuring reliable and high-quality services for customers.
The company will also invest USD 102.9 million in customer services and operational systems, further supporting advancements in the customer relationship manager (CRM) system, customer premise equipment (CPE), and information systems (IS) infrastructure. These upgrades aim to improve the overall customer experience (CX) by enabling seamless interactions and self-service actions.
These investments reflect SaskTel’s commitment to advancing Saskatchewan’s digital infrastructure, bridging the digital divide, and ensuring that residents and businesses can access the connectivity needed to thrive in the digital world.
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