Telecommunications services are fundamental to economic and social development. The past two years demonstrated the heightened importance of connectivity with Newfoundlanders and Labradorians increasingly working from home, learning online, receiving virtual health care, and engaging in e-commerce activities. While the federal government has constitutional jurisdiction for telecommunications and regulates service providers, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is committed to working with our partners and making smart investments to improve connectivity services, close the connectivity gap between urban and rural communities and improve the social and economic well-being of communities.
Budget 2021 allocated $25 million over three years to improve connectivity through cellular and broadband service. In February, 2022 the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Government of Canada announced a historic collaboration to provide up to $136 million to connect all remaining rural households in Newfoundland and Labrador to reliable, high-speed internet. To complement this collaboration, we’ve released Newfoundland and Labrador’s Connectivity Strategy.
Newfoundland and Labrador’s Connectivity Strategy is a three-year strategy that is guided by three pillars – invest, partner, and optimize – with associated actions to advance connectivity to households, businesses, and communities in the province by leveraging partnerships with industry, community, and government partners. The strategy prioritizes access to 50/10 megabits per second (Mbps) broadband internet service, which is affordable and scalable for long-term growth as well as improved mobile infrastructure.
Newfoundland and Labrador’s Connectivity Strategy
Rural Broadband
Work with our federal partners will be critical to advancing connectivity in the province. Building on commitments made in Budget 2019; the federal government announced a target of reaching 98 per cent of homes in Canada with access to 50 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload by 2026. The federal government has announced initiatives aimed at providing high speed internet for all Canadians through several initiatives such as the CRTC’s $750 million rural/remote broadband fund; securing Low Earth Orbit satellite capacity to serve the most rural and remote regions; and the introduction of the $2.75 billion Universal Broadband Fund (UBF).
Investment in the recent broadband collaboration as well as ongoing cellular infrastructure projects allows the Province to facilitate partnership opportunities with the federal government, service providers and/or other partners to improve broadband and mobile connectivity services for many rural communities that are unserved or underserved, as well as communities facing network congestion.
High Speed Access for All: Canada’s Connectivity Strategy outlines the federal government’s goals, commitments, and actions to improve Connectivity across the country. The strategy can be found here: High Speed Access for All: Canada’s Connectivity Strategy
2023 Cellular Service Improvement Initiative
This cost-shared initiative will help facilitate new investments in the province’s cellular service infrastructure to improve the business case for telecommunication carriers to expand coverage and provide service to communities that are currently unserved or underserved.
Administered by the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology (IET), through its Regional Development Fund, the Cellular Service Improvement Initiative will primarily target communities that do not have or have limited access to cellular service.
Phase 1 – Expression of Interest for Communities
(CLOSED – No longer accepting EOI’s)
To assist with identifying unserved and underserved areas in the province, IET sought Expressions of Interest (EOI) from communities who wanted to be considered in the program to improve cellular service. Communities had until September 15, 2023 to confirm interest in the program, identify an underserved area, and indicate capacity to contribute financially to the project.
We are no longer accepting Expressions of Interest from communities at this time.
Phase 2 – Call for Proposals for Telecommunications Providers
IET is seeking proposals from telecommunications providers for best option service solutions for the geographic regions of the communities identified through Phase 1 – Expression of Interest for Communities. Based on best-fit solutions, providers may be invited to submit an application for funding consideration for a cellular enhancement project in a number of communities, as identified by IET. Providers have until February 9, 2024 to submit a proposal for consideration. (Please note that the original deadline of January 26, 2024 has been extended.)
For more information please contact:
Dion Sheppard
Telephone: 709-729-7274
Email: ddsheppa@gov.nl.ca
Technical Services RFP – Connectivity Along Major Roadways
According to Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) data for 2021, LTE coverage of major highways (rank 2) is 56.0%, with a 503km coverage gap, and major roadways (rank 3) has only 29.0% connectivity, with an estimated 1098 km coverage gap.
While telecommunications, including broadband and mobile connectivity services, falls within the constitutional jurisdiction of the federal government, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is committed to identifying potential cost-effective solutions to improve mobile connectivity along on major roadways.
The Department of Industry, Energy and Technology is seeking proposals from suitable qualified consultants with specialized telecommunications/communications technology expertise to identify potential connectivity solutions along major roadways with significant mobility service gaps in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Providers have until February 12, 2024 to submit a proposal for consideration. (Please note that the original deadline of January 26, 2024 has been extended). The Department will provide written confirmation that the proposal is received. The project completion date is May 3, 2024.