BC Business
Rogers Communications | BCBusiness
With Premier Christy Clark on hand, Rogers Communications vice chairman Phillip B. Lind announced a $450 million investment in the company’s wireless network, which will vastly improve Rogers’ cell coverage in the Peace River region and in the communities and rural areas between Prince Rupert and Prince George. “I take this as a tremendous vote of confidence in what we are doing here in our plans to build this business and grow this province and we can do it together,” said Clark, after elaborating on the challenge of getting her phone to work on the Yellowhead Highway. 98.3 per cent of the B.C. population will have access to LTE service on Rogers’ wireless network by 2016, when its infrastructure rollout is complete, according to the company. Today’s investment adds to the $1.5 billion the company has spent to date on its wireless network in B.C., and “will bring the same levels of speed quality and service to northern B.C. as are enjoyed in Vancouver,” said Gordon Nelson, Rogers’ regional vice president for Western Canada. 700 MHz spectrum will be added to LTE sites, will improve the reach of coverage, particularly indoors, according to the company. Rogers is playing catch up with Telus in the regions of the province outside of the Lower Mainland, admitted Nelson. “At the end of the day Rogers is behind, which is one of the reasons we’re expanding so aggressively,” he said. “We’re more challenged in the rural parts of B.C.,” added Lind, also Rogers’ executive vice president, regulatory.