Going Faster: Xplornet High-Speed Broadband Now Available to 16,000 Nova Scotia Homes

Accelerated 100-Day Network Expansion in Cumberland and Colchester Complete; 50Mbps Unlimited Speed to be Available this Fall; Coverage Expansion continues.

WOODSTOCK, NB – Over 16,000 rural homes and business in Nova Scotia now have access to faster Internet speeds, unlimited data and the latest fixed wireless broadband technology, thanks to an accelerated 100-day expansion completed by Xplornet.

In response to the increased demand for enhanced rural Internet services driven by the COVID-19 pandemic, Xplornet Communications Inc., Develop Nova Scotia and the Municipalities of Cumberland and Colchester collaborated on a plan to accelerate construction of the network project first announced in February 2020. In 100 days, 16 new fixed wireless towers were constructed, providing fixed wireless coverage at up to 25 Megabits per second (Mbps) with unlimited data plans to over 16,000 rural homes and businesses. This fall, Xplornet plans to offer speeds up to 50 Mbps to rural residents in Cumberland and Colchester.

“At Xplornet, we recognized the urgent need to expand our high-speed services to rural Nova Scotians who found themselves depending on remote work, e-learning and online connections with friends and family,” said Allison Lenehan, President and CEO of Xplornet. “We appreciate that the Province of Nova Scotia and the Municipalities of Cumberland and Colchester shared this sense of urgency and worked with us to expedite the construction of our network.”

Xplornet has now completed the first part of a network project that will deploy fibre optic cable, 5G-ready wireless broadband infrastructure and satellite to connect approximately 24,000 homes and businesses in Cumberland and Colchester. On August 21, Xplornet and the Municipalities of Cumberland and Colchester signed an agreement to support the connection of the next 8,000 households to the network.

“These investments in high-speed internet will bring connectivity to every corner of Colchester and Cumberland,” said Christine Blair, Mayor of Colchester. “Enhanced broadband access is vital for our future, making our region a better place to live, work and do business,” said Al Gillis, Warden of Cumberland.

To complete the project, Xplornet will deploy fibre optic cable and additional 5G-ready wireless broadband infrastructure to enable the delivery of fibre-to-the-home and fixed wireless services at higher speed levels. When completed, the network will offer speeds up to 100 Mbps, exceeding targets established by the CRTC. Xplornet’s network is designed to support future customer needs, with speed capabilities that will exceed 1 Gbps.

“As a company rooted in Atlantic Canada, we are proud to support rural Nova Scotians during these extraordinary times by accelerating the deployment of improved high speed broadband service,” said Allison Lenehan. “Our work over the past 100 days has laid a foundation for further growth in Nova Scotia. We are not done. We look forward to delivering the next phase of this transformative broadband project.”