(File photo/CKOM News Staff)

By CKOM News

SaskTel goes with Samsung for province’s 5G network

Mar 15, 2021 | 12:04 PM

SaskTel has selected Samsung to supply 5G technology to Saskatchewan.

The South Korean-based company will provide all of the hardware, software and technological assistance to the province for the network.

“SaskTel’s deployment of a transformational 5G network will foster continued innovation and support the growth of Saskatchewan’s technology sector,” Don Morgan, the province’s minister responsible for SaskTel, said in a media release Monday.

“5G technology will deliver new levels of performance and efficiency that will enhance user experience and set the foundation for smart cities, next-generation virtual health care, immersive education, smart agriculture technology and next-level gaming.”

In June of 2020, Morgan told Gormley the province was considering a number of options for 5G technology. Huawei was in the picture — much of Saskatchewan’s cellphone network at the time was associated with the Chinese company — but the country’s politically charged relationship with Huawei and concerns about the provider’s security were issues.

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Ultimately, Samsung was the province’s choice.

“We are confident that Samsung’s state-of-the-art 5G technology will deliver robust network capability and exceptional connectivity inherent in their 5G solutions,” SaskTel president and CEO Doug Burnett said in the release.

“The increased speeds, reliability and capacity that 5G brings will support remote work, virtual health and distance education, and enable SaskTel’s customers to realize the full capabilities of the latest 5G-ready devices.”

SaskTel said it’s investing $324 million in capital projects in 2020-21 and more than $1.6 billion through to 2025 to improve its services in the province.