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DEH CHO
Within the next two years, six communities in the Deh Cho will be getting cellphone service for the first time.

Infrastructure Canada, NorthwesTel and Falcon Communications have partnered on an initiative that will bring 3G mobile Internet services to 25 communities in the territory.

In the Deh Cho the communities include Trout Lake, Jean Marie River, Nahanni Butte, Wrigley, Kakisa and Fort Providence, which currently don't have cellphone service.

The federal government is contributing up to $14.8 million through the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund to the initiative, which will also support and enhance broadband Internet service for 31 communities. NorthwesTel's contribution is expected to be more than $15 million. Falcon Communications has acted as the federal government's community champion for the NWT Broadband Project since 2005.

"This is a perfect partnership to support this initiative for NWT residents," said Emily Younker, the corporate communications manager at NorthwesTel.

Without partnerships like this it's not always economically feasible to bring new and upgraded services to small communities, she said.

With 3G services people will be able to use the latest wireless devices, tablets and smartphones, she said.

They will also be able to use all of these devices' features including mobile Internet, music and video streaming, e-mail and cellular calling.

Although people generally associate 3G with faster data transmission speeds, Younker said access to mobile Internet will also provide economic benefits such as allowing small businesses to promote themselves more effectively and improve access to distance education.

Younker was unable to provide the exact dates when each community will receive the service. The initiative is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2014.

In Fort Providence, MLA Michael Nadli said he was thrilled with the news that the community will be getting cellular service.

"I think it's about time," he said.

Last July, Nadli started a petition in the hamlet asking the territorial government to encourage telecommunications companies to establish cellphone service in Fort Providence. The safety of people travelling on the highways is a big concern and cellphone service would improve access to emergency services, he said.

Having cellphone service also needs to be part of the broader initiative to increase tourism to the NWT, said Nadli. Communities need to provide at least baseline services to travellers and cellphone service is one of them.

Tourists take for granted that they will be able to use their cellphones because they can across the rest of Canada, he said.

Nadli also expects cellphone service to assist those businesses that have been trying to establish themselves in the community, he said.

Nadli said he hopes that Fort Providence will be one of the first communities on the list to receive 3G services.

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