Telecommunications services are fundamental to economic and social development. The past two years demonstrated the heightened importance of connectivity with Newfoundlanders and Labradorians working from home, online learning, virtual health care, and other e-commerce activities.
Today, the Provincial Government released Newfoundland and Labrador’s Connectivity Strategy. This strategy complements the recently announced collaboration between the Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador to provide up to $136 million to connect all remaining rural households in the province to reliable high speed internet.
The three-year strategy has three pillars – invest, partner, optimize – with associated actions to advance connectivity to households, businesses and communities in the province by continued leveraging with industry and community partners. This strategy prioritizes access to 50/10 megabits per second broadband service, which is affordable and scalable for long-term growth, as well as improved mobile infrastructure throughout the province. A copy of the strategy can be found here.
Investment in the recent broadband collaboration as well as ongoing cellular infrastructure projects allows the province to facilitate partnership opportunities with the Federal Government, service providers and/or other partners to improve broadband and mobile connectivity services for many rural communities that are unserved or underserved, as well as communities facing network congestion.
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“Connectivity growth is an issue that affects all Newfoundlander and Labradorians, and is becoming increasingly vital for our day-to-day lives. Digital and online modes of program and service delivery are rapidly growing, so it is imperative that our connectivity infrastructure keep pace. This strategy will help guide our commitments in the coming years.”
Honourable Andrew Parsons
Minister of Industry, Energy and Technology
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Learn more
Connectivity Strategy
News Release: Connecting Rural Households in Newfoundland and Labrador to High-Speed Internet
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Media contact
Eric Humber
Industry, Energy and Technology
709-729-5777, 725-9655
erichumber@gov.nl.ca