Eastlink continues significant investment in its mobile network

HALIFAX, NS, Aug. 31, 2023 /CNW/ - Eastlink shared today the company's latest efforts to expand and further strengthen its mobile network, confirming that its service expansion into the Acadian Peninsula in NB is now live. This follows the company's recent mobile expansion into Miramichi and Bathurst.

"We're laser focused on the continued growth of our mobile service," said Jeff Gillham, CEO. "We've invested heavily and consistently since we launched 10 years ago and are committed to continue that investment."

Over and above launching in the Acadian Peninsula, Eastlink has been busy with additional tower builds and small cell installations to complement its existing infrastructure with more sites in Halifax, Hammonds Plains, Lunenburg, Mahone Bay, Liverpool, Bear River and New Ross in Nova Scotia; Moncton in New Brunswick; St. John's in Newfoundland; Sydney and Marion Bridge in Cape Breton; and Charlottetown and areas of Northern PEI and more to come.   

The company has indicated that over the past year it has also made significant investments in response to learnings from major weather events.

"Over and above our regular storm prep activities, we have improved our backup system capacity adding 25 fixed generators at key sites (fuelled to last up to 2 weeks), which not only reduces downtime for those sites but also facilitates improved ability to reach other sites with our fleet of portable generators, which we have grown as well," said Steve Irvine, CTO and Senior VP of Engineering. "This is a journey of continuous improvement due to the increase in frequency and impacts of climate-related events."

Mr. Irvine says the company has also increased mobile network capacity to accommodate some of the expected increases in usage during significant power outages and made improvements to its fuel supply management system.

Eastlink has invested more than $255M in the past 5 years, over $55M in the last year alone, to grow its mobile service into more communities bringing greater, more reliable coverage, and more choice and competition to Canadian mobile customers. 

Eastlink is a proud Canadian, family-owned technology and communications company. Powered by state-of-the-art fibre optic and mobile networks and driven by its core spirit of entrepreneurialism, Eastlink delivers world-class communications services, including high speed internet, mobile, TV, phone, data services, security and smart home solutions and to residential to business and public sector customers in seven provinces across Canada and Bermuda. Recognized as one of Canada's Best Managed Companies, Eastlink shares local and regional stories on Community TV about the people, places and events that shape the communities it serves.

SOURCE Eastlink