Videotron has expanded its high-speed internet network to include 30,000 more residents in rural Quebec.
The expansion, announced on Oct. 2, is part of an on-going project that started in 2017. So far, the project has received more than $25 million in investments. With the new service, Videotron now serves more than 90 per cent of Quebecers.
New service areas are concentrated in Lanaudière, Lower Laurentians, Outaouais, Eastern Townships, Montérégie and Charlevoix regions.
“As we have seen in the last few months, access to a fast and reliable Internet network is a necessity,” says Jean-François Pruneau, president of Videotron. “We need it to stay connected with our loved ones and to support economic development in our regions.”
According to the company’s press release, Videotron currently serves around 1.5 million cable television subscribers and around 1.75 million cable internet subscribers.
Last week, Videotron filed a request for investigation to the Competition Bureau of Canada against Bell, claiming that it’s unfairly blocking access to its telephone poles. Videotron called the practice anti-competitive, and noted that it could have provided the internet to more Canadians if it had prompt access to the poles.
IT World Canada has reached out to the company for funding details. Videotron was not immediately available for comment.