SaskTel reaches halfway mark of 5G rollout in Sask.

SaskTel says it has reached the halfway mark when it comes to converting its cell towers to allow for 5G networks.

Right now, SaskTel 5G covers nearly 85 per cent of Saskatchewan residents throughout the province.

The province celebrated the halfway mark of their venture in Delisle where they just had their tower upgraded.

“I’m using it (5G) personally and I’m noticing a difference in streaming and things like that,” said Delisle Mayor Cary Brunett.

Brunett suggests the people in her community who will notice the change to 5G the most are people like farmers who might be in the field and not close to a reliable cell phone or internet connection.

“That’s one place where I think that this is going to make a world of difference. We used to feel like we were competing with the (Nutrien potash) mine for access to things – because that’s a huge pull on our systems,” Brunett said.

“I think that having this upgrade is really going to assist them (farmers). You look at the technology in these combines now it’s amazing. So yeah, all of that can be helped with the 5G network and it’s amazing,” she added.

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Minister responsible for SaskTel Dustin Duncan thinks the expansion of the 5G network will also help those living in rural communities connect to things like school and remote work.

“I think people have really noticed the difference and the speeds they can download information,” Duncan said. “You just think about how technology has really changed over a short amount of time – we have more and more students that are learning online – we have more health-care services being delivered online – the faster people can have access to the data they’re looking for is certainly a benefit to their life.”

SaskTel mentioned the continued expansion of its 5G and fiber networks is a result of SaskTel’s commitment to invest nearly $440 million throughout 2024-25 and more than $2 billion over the next five years.

It’s hoped that all of Saskatchewan’s cell towers can be upgraded before the end of the decade.