The Canadian province of Saskatchewan is made for—and needs—broadband wireless. Its landscape is flat and occasionally rolling, from the farmlands in the south and midsection to the rugged bush country in the north, punctuated by growing cities and by farm and mining towns. There are few line of sight barriers to signals, except perhaps in ravines, but they must also cross great expanses.

 

At the same time there is a strong need to connect a relatively small dispersed, still largely rural and yet mobile populace. Only broadband wireless can arguably and effectively provide both voice and data to individuals and organizations outside of the larger communities. The province also sits astride two trans-Canadian highways linking it with the rest of the country, and with this large numbers of on-the-go wireless device users.

 

To meet the requirements of this environment, SaskTel, a full service communications provider has selected Nokia Siemens (News - Alert) Networks to provide core network technology for a new next-generation wireless network. The agreement is a part of SaskTel’s network investment program to ensure 98 percent of the province’s residents have access to wireless services.

 

Nokia (News - Alert) Siemens Networks has others say the experience as well as the technology to meet these needs. With customers in 150 countries, it is one of the largest communications hardware, software and services companies in the world. Headquartered in Finland, whose terrain is not unlike the northern part of Saskatchewan, it is well equipped to put together a wireless network to serve the province.

 

Already based on the latest version of High Speed Packet Access, or “HSPA+,” technology, SaskTel will use a core network solution, including mobile softswitching, packet core with direct tunnel functionality, and harmonized subscriber management systems. The upgraded systems will complement SaskTel’s existing 3G network solutions and future-proof the carrier for a smooth transition to fourth generation technology based on the emerging, global Long-term Evolution, or “LTE (News - Alert),” standard. SaskTel's network is expected to be initially launched mid-2010 with a targeted completion date of 2011.

 

SaskTel has over 1.3 million customer connections including over 510,000 wireless accesses, 555,000 wireline network accesses, 216,000 internet accesses and 76,000 Max™ (TV) subscribers. It offers a wide range of communications products and services including competitive voice, data, internet, entertainment, national security, messaging, cellular, wireless data and directory services.

 

“After a comprehensive review, SaskTel has selected Nokia Siemens Networks (News - Alert) because of the company’s advanced solutions and their global carrier presence and reputation,” said Robert Watson, president and CEO at SaskTel.

 

”Nokia Siemens Networks is committed to the Canadian market and its potential for further advancement in next-generation wireless services, so we are extremely pleased to add SaskTel to the distinguished group of operators we serve in Canada,” said Sue Spradley, head of the North American region, Nokia Siemens Networks. “We will deliver to SaskTel the industry’s most advanced wireless network infrastructure, which will position them for a smooth transition to LTE in the future.”