Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corporation, commonly known as SaskTel, is a full service communications provider in Saskatchewan. A crown corporation, SaskTel has $1.2 billion in annual revenue and over 1.4 million customer connections including over 607,000 wireless accesses, 492,000 wireline network accesses, 250,000 internet accesses and 100,000 maxTV subscribers. SaskTel offers a wide range of communications products and services including competitive voice, data, internet, entertainment, security monitoring, messaging, cellular, wireless data and directory services. In addition, SaskTel International offers software solutions and project consulting in countries around the world.
SaskTel and its wholly owned subsidiaries have a workforce of approximately 4,000 full-time equivalent employees (FTEs).
Services
- Wireless Service (CDMA/UMTS/HSPA+/LTE)
- SaskTel Select Wi-Fi is SaskTel's Wi-Fi Services. Available for SaskTel Wireless 4G and 4G LTE customers
- Wireless Internet (Over Satellite, in alliance and provided by Xplornet)
- CDMA network planned to be discontinued in 2015 or 2016,[2] starting with EV-DO network shut down on September 30, 2014.[3]
- As February 2016, Sasktel has not launched voice over LTE (VoLTE). Consequently, all voice calls take place via its HSPA+ network. SaskTel intends on testing and rolling out VoLTE in 2016.[4]
- High Speed Internet & infiNET is SaskTel's Internet and Data Services (Internet over VDSL or Optical fibre)
- SaskTel maxTV (Digital TV) is SaskTel's Cable TV Services, including High-definition television and PVR
- CraveTV is Canada's new subscription on-demand video streaming service. Available for SaskTel maxTV subscribers
- MySask411 is Saskatchewan’s original online directories. It has the most accurate local information available.
- MySask411.com and MySask411 App
- SecurTek is SaskTel's Security Monitoring Services for Home and Business Security
- sasktel.net Email Services
- Local Access and Enhanced Services
- Long Distance Phone Services (over POTS or Optical fibre)
- Voice Mail Services
- Telephone and Equipment Rental
- Conferencing Services
- International Consulting, Provisioning, and Software Solutions
- Web Hosting and Website Design
- Print and Online Directories
For Business
- Communication & Collaboration
- Managed Network Services
- Data Centre Services
- Internet & Networks
- Wireless
- Security
History
SaskTel, known from 1947 to the 1980s as Saskatchewan Government Telephones, has its origin in the Department of Railways, Telegraphs and Telephones, which was established on June 12, 1908. On October 1, 1909, the Department expanded its system by purchasing the Bell Telephone Company, the Saskatchewan Telephone Company, and the Wapella-Harris Telephone Company. The newly acquired facilities consisted of 18 telephone exchanges, 53 long-distance offices, and 492 pole miles of long-distance lines. Among the telephone exchanges purchased were those in Estevan, Moose Jaw, North Battleford, Prince Albert, and Regina. In 1911, the Department expanded further with the purchases of Saltcoats District Telephone Company, the North-Western Telephone Company (Saskatoon), and the Swift Current System. On December 1, 1912, Yorkton was added to the provincial telephone system with the purchase of the North West Electric Company.
Technological and service advances
- In 1984, SaskTel completed the world's longest commercial fibre optic system, 3,268 kilometres.[5]
- In 1988, it developed the first fibre/coaxial hybrid network with pick-and-play Video-On-Demand.[5]
- In 1994, it completed the installation and commissioning of telecommunications and control systems for the English Channel project.[6]
- In 2002, it was the first to commercially deploy Internet Protocol (IP) video over digital subscriber line (DSL).[7]
- In 2006, it was the first North American company to offer HDTV channels over an IPTV service[8]
- In 2009, SaskTel began construction of a new $172 million Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) / High Speed Packet Access (HSPA+) wireless network, which would give Sasktel a 3G+ Network and hold 98% of the population of Saskatchewan under its coverage.
- In 2010, SaskTel, activated their new UMTS/HSPA+ network, now referred to as 4G.[9]
- In 2012, SaskTel announced infiNET. SaskTel’s new Fibre Optic Network capable of download speeds of up to 200 Mbit/s. infiNET is the official name for SaskTel’s Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) Program, a 7-year $670 million investment to deploy fibre directly to homes and upgrade the broadband network in the 9 largest urban centers in the province - Saskatoon, Regina, Moose Jaw, Weyburn, Estevan, Swift Current, Yorkton, North Battleford and Prince Albert.[10]
- In 2013, SaskTel activated their LTE cellular network in Saskatoon, Regina, Weyburn, Moose Jaw, Estevan, North Battleford, Yorkton and Swift Current, now referred to as 4G LTE.[11]
- In 2014, SaskTel received its third consecutive J.D. Power Award for Highest in Customer Satisfaction with Canadian Full-Service Wireless Carriers.
- In 2015, SaskTel announced the launch of the new Machine to Machine (M2M) Management Centre, an online portal that allows business customers to control and monitor the operational status of their wireless M2M devices while gaining valuable analytics about usage.[12]
References
External links
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1More than 400,000 television service subscribers.
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$1.231 billion [1]