November 1, 2013
Broadband Service Extended to Fleur de Lys
As a part of the Provincial Government’s commitment to providing leading edge telecommunications services and infrastructure, broadband coverage will be extended to Fleur de Lys.
“The Provincial Government continues to strengthen the province’s telecommunications infrastructure and support modern broadband services for the people of our province,” said the Honourable Charlene Johnson, Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural Development. “We are pleased to continue to advance broadband access to communities and businesses throughout the province and are well on target to reach 95 per cent coverage for the province by 2014, with Fleur de Lys coming on-stream by the end of the year.”
The Rural Broadband Initiative was launched in 2011 to provide incentive to telecommunications carriers to expand broadband access into unserved rural and remote areas of Newfoundland and Labrador. In Budget 2013, A Sound Plan, A Secure Future, the Provincial Government committed $6.3 million for rural broadband coverage. This investment has further improved the province’s telecommunications environment with the ongoing expansion supporting an increase in access to more than 500 communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador – up from 114 communities in 2003.
“In the last two years, our government has made great strides in improving Internet services in the province,” said Kevin Pollard, MHA for Baie Verte - Springdale. “I am pleased that the people of Fleur de Lys are a step closer to having access to broadband services.”
Since 2003, Provincial Government investments totalling $29 million have leveraged more than $115 million from other sources to improve broadband access in Newfoundland and Labrador. Work continues with industry, community, and government partners to further improve broadband infrastructure.
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Media contacts:
| Heather MacLean Director of Communications Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development 709-729-4570, 697-4137 heathermaclean@gov.nl.ca |
Patrick Jim Constituency Assistant to Kevin Pollard MHA for Baie Verte - Springdale 709-532-2243 PatrickJim@gov.nl.ca |
2013 11 01 10:35 a.m.