Saskatchewan’s rural residents can look forward to improvements to rural cellular services in the next year and a half.

Sasktel has announced the first 43 rural communities in the province that will receive the upgrades to their 4G LTE cellular services. Communities in the area that will be receiving the upgrades include Filmore, Sedley, Manor, Lang, Torquay, Midale and Odessa.

“This will be done by the construction of a small cell site tower in each of these locations, and it will improve the 4G cellular services within each of the towns and the immediate surrounding area,” said Michelle Englot, Communications Director for Sasktel.

The Government of Saskatchewan had announced in December of 2017 plans for the four-phase initiative aimed at improving high speed internet services and providing access to reliable cellular services.

“It will significantly improve both high speed and cellular services in rural Saskatchewan,” she noted.

Englot said the upgrades to the first 43 towers will be completed by the end of March 2019. The remaining 57 locations for Phase 2 will be announced when details are finalized.

“Phase 3 is working with independent providers in Saskatchewan, to identify opportunities to improve wireless beyond that,” she explained. “Phase 4 is the Legislative Secretary to the Minister responsible for Sasktel’s continuing to work with municipalities across the province to identify further coverage gaps in rural Saskatchewan.”

She added that each of the communities receiving the towers have already agreed to the installation of the towers, during the initial land procurement process.