ARCHIVED - Telecom Commission Letter Addressed to Curtis Shaw (Northwestel)
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Ottawa, 4 July 2018
Our reference: 8638-C12-201400499
BY EMAIL
Mr. Curtis Shaw
President
Northwestel Inc.
PO Box 2727
Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 4Y4
regulatoryaffairs@nwtel.ca
Dear Mr. Shaw:
RE: Northwestel’s last annual Modernization Plan update and progress report
On 31 March 2018, the Commission received Northwestel’s fifth and last annual Modernization Plan (the Plan) update and progress report, pursuant to the Commission’s directives in Telecom Regulatory Policy 2013-711.
Over the 5-year period of the Modernization Plan, Northwestel provided updates and information consistent with the Commission’s reporting directives. These updates and information have shown that, notwithstanding some delays and adjustments, the implementation of the Plan remained largely on track and some targets have even been exceeded.
Northwestel has completed a total of 460 projects, exceeding the 426 projects originally planned in 2013, and providing Canadians living in its operating territory with improved telecommunications services, including broadband Internet at a download speed of at least 15 Mbps in all terrestrial served communities and access to 4G wireless for almost 90 percent of the population. Other improvements under the Plan, including several transport projects, the rollout of local number portability and enhanced calling features, and switch upgrades, all contribute to ensuring access to modern telecommunications services for Northern Canadians.
A few projects initially planned to be completed under the Plan were put aside or delayed beyond the Plan period. These include the 4G rollout in 16 Nunavut communities that Northwestel committed to complete by the end of 2020, some switch upgrades, and local number portability projects identified in the initial version of the Plan. The Commission expects Northwestel to meet all of the remaining commitments made under the Plan.
The Commission recognizes the considerable progress achieved by Northwestel over the last five years. It expects the company to build on this momentum and continue to invest in its network architecture and services to provide world class telecommunications services to Canadians in the North.
Sincerely,
Original signed by
Claude Doucet
Secretary General
c.c. Dallas Yeulett, Senior Manager, Regulatory Compliance, regulatoryaffairs@nwtel.ca
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