Xplornet to Make Fast and Reliable Internet Available to Over 125,000 Homes and Businesses across Manitoba

Construction starting to deliver fibre-to-the-home and next-generation 5G-ready wireless broadband to nearly 350 rural and 30 First Nation communities

MARKHAM, ON, Nov. 30, 2021 /CNW/ - Xplornet Communications Inc., Canada's largest rural-focused broadband provider, announced today that it is ready to start construction to connect 125,000 homes and businesses in Manitoba to fast and reliable next-generation Internet service, following the signing of the Rural Broadband Expansion Agreement with the Government of Manitoba.

As part of this agreement, nearly 350 rural and 30 First Nation communities will benefit from increased connectivity to work, school, healthcare and the digital world. Xplornet will gain access to 3,200 kilometres of dark fibre backbone from Manitoba Hydro. Xplornet is also investing to deploy an additional 1,500 kilometres of fibre optic cable and equip 224 towers with leading edge 5G-ready wireless broadband technology. This network is being designed for service speeds of 50/10 Mbps and beyond, including speeds of 1 Gbps in fibre areas.

"We are pleased to sign this agreement with the Government of Manitoba to achieve our shared goal of increased connectivity in communities across Manitoba," said Allison Lenehan, President and CEO, Xplornet Communications. "This is an important milestone in our plan to connect rural Manitobans to fast, reliable and affordable high-speed Internet using next generation broadband technologies." 

Xplornet has deep roots in Manitoba, starting in 2004 with our first Manitoba customers.  In 2017, Xplornet acquired the business of Netset Communications and established a home in Brandon, Manitoba, which today includes the national office for Xplornet Enterprise Solutions division. Additional acquisitions followed that have deepened Xplornet's operational presence in Manitoba, including the most recent acquisition of Swift High Speed, which will accelerate Xplornet's broadband fibre expansion in Southeast Manitoba.  We know rural Manitobans have been waiting for this announcement and Xplornet is excited to now be able to get started on bringing customers faster speeds and more data.

This project is part of Xplornet's plan to invest $500 million by 2025 to deploy state-of-the-art scalable fibre and 5G fixed wireless technology in its facilities-based network to meet the needs of rural Canadians. The company already has fibre-to-the-home projects in Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Alberta, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island. Xplornet is also rolling out Canada's first rural 5G standalone network in New Brunswick and, over the course of 2022, will expand its 5G network to 250 additional rural communities across Canada. 

Construction related to this project is expected to be complete by the end of 2023.

About Xplornet Communications Inc.

Headquartered in Woodstock, New Brunswick, Xplornet Communications Inc. is one of Canada's leading broadband service providers.  For over a decade, Xplornet has been providing innovative fixed and mobile broadband solutions to rural customers at work, home and play across Canada.  Today, Xplornet offers voice and data communication services through its unique hybrid fibre, wireless and satellite network that connects Canadians to what matters.

SOURCE Xplornet Communications Inc.