Rural communities are known for having slower internet speeds — but that could soon change in New Brunswick.
Xplornet has chosen New Brunswick as the site for the latest 5G-ready technology, positioning the province to be the first to have rural access to it.
“Fast, reliable Internet connectivity in today’s digital world is vital, including in rural New Brunswick,” said Premier Brian Gallant in a news release.
“We are pleased to work with Xplornet to increase the capacity of the high-speed network that many rural New Brunswickers use to create economic growth and access important services.”
Today @BrianGallantNB and @APLenehan announced a $30M project to bring faster Internet speeds and 5G-ready services to rural New Brunswick! #ConnectToWhatMatters #5G #NewBrunswickhttps://t.co/eekvm0rcGY
— Xplornet (@Xplornet) August 3, 2018
This new technology will not be available until next year, but officials say the $30-million project will bring internet speeds of up to 100 Mbps to rural areas.
The Woodstock-based company will be eligible for up to $10 million from Opportunities NB to help buy equipment and for capital costs.
“Our mission is to enable rural Canadians to live where they want to live, and connect to what matters,” said Xplornet president and CEO Allison Lenehan in a news release. “5G technology is not just about cities — it is about all of the unique services it can enable wherever you are in Canada.”
Phase one will begin immediately and should be completed by the end of 2019.