Telesat wants partners for its satellite broadband proposal in Northern Canada

Telesat states that the positive results of its recent live satellite broadband trials in Iqaluit proved that satellite services can help bridge the bandwidth gaps plaguing Northern Canada.

The Canadian satellite operator led a team of local communications technology providers to deliver advanced satellite broadband services to residential, government, and business customers in Iqaluit.

These bandwidth gaps were first identified by the Arctic Communications Infrastructure Assessment (ACIA) Report of 2011. Telesat asserts that the technology and the satellite capacity to resolve these shortcomings are now available for implementation.

The Company suggested a public/private collaboration with territorial, provincial, and federal governments as well as other interested parties who want to improve the availability and quality of broadband services in Northern Canada.

Telesat offered to invest CAD 40 million as part of its proposed collaboration to deliver advanced satellite broadband services in the North. The Company expects that its successful demonstrations in Iqaluit will spur the implementation of broadband services as early as 2013.

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