FlexNetworks completes missing link from Regina to Saskatoon

SASKATOON, SK, April 14, 2022 /CNW/ – FlexNetworks is excited to announce that it has delivered the first ever commercial 100 Gbps service link between Saskatoon and Regina. Not only will the high-speed fibre-optic network built by FlexNetworks from the University of Regina to the University of Saskatchewanboost the speed and resilience of data-intensive research collaborations, but it will also benefit the entire province by connecting several underserved, rural communities. CANARIE is the first enterprise customer to tap directly into the capabilities of the all-Saskatchewannetwork. As the national backbone and international gateway for Canada’s National Research and Education Network (NREN), CANARIE plays a vital role in Canada’s digital infrastructure. The NREN connects Canadian researchers, educators, and innovators to each other and to data, technology, and colleagues around the world. CANARIE connects the provincial and territorial partners in the NREN to each other and to global research and education networks. “This is an exciting development for students and researchers in Saskatchewan and for their colleagues across Canada and around the world,” says Mark Wolff, CANARIE’s Chief Technology Officer. “This end-to-end connection eliminates capacity constraints on this route and improves network resilience in the province.” CANARIE’s Saskatchewan partner in the NREN, SRNET (Saskatchewan Research Network), is equally pleased with the latest investment to the province’s digital infrastructure. “This new Regina–Saskatoon link is a key piece of digital infrastructure for education, research, and innovation in Saskatchewan. It will support the data-intensive collaboration and learning that will help grow our technology sector,” says Chad Coller, President and CEO of SRNET. “The increased capacity, which scales to provide individual services of 400 Gbps and beyond, is the latest of the many technology advancements implemented by FlexNetworks that keeps Saskatchewan telecommunications on the leading edge,” says Jay McMaster, Chief Technology Officer at FlexNetworks. In addition, the new high-speed network will also deliver high-speed service to rural communities along the fibre-optic cable route, including Clavet, Young, Nokomis, Bulyea and Lumsden, which have been challenged by broadband availability. “This latest investment serves to strengthen the security of Canada’s research and education sector,” says Jacques Taillefer, Executive Vice President at FlexNetworks. “At the same time, it provides affordable high-speed Internet and creates economic development opportunities for underserved communities.” BH Telecom Corp., doing business as FlexNetworks, owns, manages and operates an extensive fibre-optic infrastructure throughout Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. By the end of 2022 FlexNetworks will have invested over $100 million in fibre-optic infrastructure in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. Media Inquiries: Jacques Taillefer Executive Vice President FlexNetworks Tel: (647) 968-3951 Email: Jacques.Taillefer@FlexNetworks.ca Customer Inquiries: Redbird Communications Tel: (306) 979-6733 Email: connect@redbirdcommunications.ca Web: https://www.redbirdfibre.ca