Bell MTS says it plans to deploy fiber to the home (FTTH) to more than 6500 locations in rural parts of Manitoba. Communities that will see new FTTH infrastructure include Blumenort, Ile des Chênes, Landmark, Matlock, St. Adolphe, Stony Mountain, and Winnipeg Beach. Deployment is expected to begin this fall.
Bell says it is funding the FTTH rollout itself. The operator will use the network to offer internet download speeds of up to 1.5 Gbps as well as its Gigabit Fibe Internet, Whole Home Wi-Fi, and Fibe TV.
"Access to high-speed, more reliable broadband will allow residents, businesses, and families to more easily participate in the digital economy and take advantage of the remarkable advances in telehealth, remote learning, e-commerce, and online entertainment,” commented Wes Taplin, reeve of the Rural Municipality of Rockwood, which is located north of Winnipeg. “We are excited that Bell MTS is investing in a fiber Internet solution for Stony Mountain and we look forward to enhanced community connectivity for many years to come."
"At Bell MTS, we are proud to be expanding the deployment of our faster, more climate-resilient fiber networks in rural Manitoba, enabling brand new economic opportunities for both businesses and consumers in seven more communities across the province,” said Ryan Klassen, vice chair of Bell MTS & Western Canada. “Today's announcement builds on our industry-leading capital expenditure plan to connect more Manitobans in communities large and small with the best network technology available to communicate, learn, travel, and stay informed."
The deployment comes under the umbrellas of a capital expenditure acceleration program that Bell expects to see approximately CAN$14 billion in capital expenditures from 2020 to the end of this year.
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Stephen Hardy | Editorial Director and Associate Publisher, Lightwave
Stephen Hardy is editorial director and associate publisher of Lightwave and Broadband Technology Report, part of the Lighting & Technology Group at Endeavor Business Media. Stephen is responsible for establishing and executing editorial strategy across the both brands’ websites, email newsletters, events, and other information products. He has covered the fiber-optics space for more than 20 years, and communications and technology for more than 35 years. During his tenure, Lightwave has received awards from Folio: and the American Society of Business Press Editors (ASBPE) for editorial excellence. Prior to joining Lightwave in 1997, Stephen worked for Telecommunications magazine and the Journal of Electronic Defense.
Stephen has moderated panels at numerous events, including the Optica Executive Forum, ECOC, and SCTE Cable-Tec Expo. He also is program director for the Lightwave Innovation Reviews and the Diamond Technology Reviews.
He has written numerous articles in all aspects of optical communications and fiber-optic networks, including fiber to the home (FTTH), PON, optical components, DWDM, fiber cables, packet optical transport, optical transceivers, lasers, fiber optic testing, and more.
You can connect with Stephen on LinkedIn as well as Twitter.