Glenboro to get better cell service
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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 27/08/2016 (3576 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.
Glenboro is getting an upgrade.
Bell and MTS announced plans to expand LTE to the area yesterday in Glenboro.
The plan, however, is contingent on Bell’s acquisition of MTS going through. That transaction, which was valued at approximately $3.9 billion, is expected to close later this year or early in 2017.
Mirko Bilbic, Bell’s chief corporate development officer, said the project is part of the $1 billion, five-year commitment the company made to expand broadband fibre and wireless communications in Manitoba following the close of the sale
“We’re pretty excited and we believe there is a lot of growth potential in Manitoba,” Bilbic said. “In our view, the state of the communication networks has lagged behind other provinces and certainly lagged compared to other networks that Bell operates.”
Bell and MTS have made similar announcements in northern Manitoba and along Highway 75 in southern Manitoba.
Coverage in Glenboro is inconsistent at the moment, according to a company spokesman, with average speeds well below the potential peak of
21 megabytes per second. LTE peak download speed is 150 mbps.
Bilbic believes the expanded services is important for safety concerns on major routes while economic development should benefit as well.
“This is the latest example of the benefits we’ll deliver to Manitobans as part of the Bell MTS commitment to invest in the latest broadband networks and service innovations available,” he said. “With this expansion, Glenboro will be able to take full advantage of the most powerful mobile network in Canada.”
All of the investment is private money.
Provided the sale of MTS goes through, the combined company’s Manitoba operations will be known as Bell MTS. Winnipeg will become headquarters for Bell’s entire Western Canada team, which will grow to 6,900 people with the addition of MTS’s 2,700 employees.
“This much-needed infrastructure upgrade will benefit families, businesses and farmers, as well as the local school and hospital in the town of Glenboro and its surrounding area,” said Patricia Solman with MTS. “And importantly, it also fills existing coverage gaps on highways 2 and 5, enhancing connectivity and safety along these key transportation routes.”
Spruce Woods MLA and Minister of Growth Enterprise and Trade Cliff Cullen said the Progressive Conservative government is committed to fostering an environment that attracts and expands business.
“We are therefore pleased with Bell MTS’s commitment to invest in enhanced communications services throughout rural and northern Manitoba,” Cullen said.
» ctweed@brandonsun.com
» Twitter: @CharlesTweed