Northwestel announced Wednesday the launch of high-speed internet in the communities of Tsiigehtchic and Fort McPherson in Northwest Territories.
That means residents of those communities, who will also be able to sign up for Northwestel’s TV Plus service, will be able to subscribe to internet download speeds of up to 700 Mbps while businesses have the option of speeds up to 550 Mbps, with plans to bring that up to 750 Mbps.
This is a significant upgrade to the previous maximum of 15 Mbps, which was delivered via old DSL technology.
The service is being delivered via the Dempster Fibre Line (DFL), a 778-kilometre stretch of fibre cable that follows the Dempster highway from Dawson City, Yukon to Inuvik, NWT, where it connects to the existing Mackenzie Valley Fibre Link and closes the 4,000-km Canada North Fibre Loop.
The Yukon government commissioned and owns the line, which is being leased and operated by Northwestel for 20 years.
“This marks a significant milestone in improving connectivity for our communities in the North,” Northwestel President Curtis Shaw said in a press release. “With the DFL now operational, we’re delivering faster internet to residents and businesses in Tsiigehtchic and Fort McPherson while also addressing the digital divide between the North’s most remote communities and the rest of the country.”
