Last week the province announced that a new Rogers cell tower would bridge the cell service gap along Highway 16 between Smithers and Hazelton.
Construction of a Rogers cell tower began in late September and is expected to be complete in the coming months, bringing wireless coverage along the 22-kilometre stretch.
Witset will be the last First Nation along the northern stretch of the TransCanada Highway to not have cell service, according to a release from the B.C. Ministry of Citizen’ Services.
B.C. Citizens’ Services Minister Jinny Sims was in Witset to make the announcement Oct. 26.
READ MORE: New cell service coming to Highway of Tears
“We have to look at reducing the digital divide because without reducing the digital divide, the economic participation cannot be there,” Sims told the gathered crowd.
“When I travel through areas around the province, I hear about everyday challenges about having cell service. When there’s an emergency on the highway or a loved one is dealing with a crisis. such as the threat of forest fires or flash flooding, the last thing they want to see — which we saw on the drive to here — is no service,” adds Sims.
When operational, the cell tower will enable voice, data and text services via high-speed wireless and internet coverage on 4G and LTE networks for Rogers and Fido customers. Customers using other providers will be able to dial 911 in the community and along the highway.
Federal, provincial funding to help bridge remaining gaps
Minister Sims drove from Witset to Terrace after the announcement to speak with employees at the local Service BC location and the city’s chamber of commerce.
When asked if the province plans to address the lack of cell coverage along the rest of Hwy 16, Sims says a recent $750 million federal fund to improve broadband Internet access in underserved areas could help fill in remaining gaps.
“We certainly are encouraging people to do an analysis of their region both for broadband, the last mile as well as cellular and put together a business plan,” Sim says. “I am convinced that as long as we have this big digital divide, we are going to continue to grow the economic divide.”
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) released details about applications to their Broadband Fund in September. The fund will supply accepted applicants with money over the first five years to support projects that build or upgrade infrastructure to provide fixed and mobile wireless broadband Internet service.
READ MORE: Better northwestern B.C. cell service wanted
Instead of applying community by community, Sims advises applicants like Terrace and Hazelton work with the ministry to develop a regional proposal for the service needed in their area.
“If you do a region, you cover all the spaces between the communities,” she says. “Which are the projects that are likely to get picked up for these new huge intakes that are going to happen? It will be the regional ones.”
Another reason why regional proposals are favoured is that they’re able to cover larger areas in between communities, Sim says.
“We have a beautiful geography, but that also becomes a challenge when it comes to both cellular and high-speed internet.”
The CRTC will start evaluating and accepting applications in the new year.
Sim says the provincial government also has up to $16 million available through the Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT) to fund infrastructure projects that will deliver last mile and broadband connectivity to entire regions. Successful applicants could receive up to 50 per cent contribution for project costs.
—with files from Chris Gareau
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