TELUS investing $8 million to accelerate deployment of its high-speed and 5G networks in Minganie and on the North Shore

Families and businesses will have direct access to PureFibre, the fastest and most reliable Internet technology in the world

5G mobile service will be deployed in more than 10 communities in the region

HAVRE-SAINT-PIERRE, Quebec, May 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TELUS is investing $8 million in the North Shore region in 2021 to deploy 5G technology to more than 10 communities and to expand its PureFibre network to families and businesses in Havre-Saint-Pierre which have been enjoying lightning-fast symmetrical download speeds since last spring thanks to direct access to fibre, the world’s fastest and most reliable Internet technology. With $3 million in additional support from the governments of Quebec and Canada, TELUS will continue to deploy its PureFibre and high speed wireless network in 2022 in the communities of Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan, Mingan (Ekuanitshit ) and Port-Menier, which will bridge the digital divide; drive innovation in businesses and grass-roots charities; and support the health, agriculture, and education sectors.

“Our 75 team members in the North Shore region are committed to actively continuing the deployment of our networks across Quebec, and to driving the economic recovery of our regions. We are making the future friendly by putting our technology at the service of our communities,” says Marie-Christine D’Amours, Vice-President of TELUS, Consumer Solutions and Customer Experience for Quebec. “To date, 93 per cent of businesses and families in the area we serve have access to our PureFibre network, and we are pursuing our joint investment with the goal of connecting all premises to high speed Internet by september 2022. We’re also especially proud to deploy our 5G technology in both large urban centres and remote communities, so that Quebec residents can enjoy the full potential of this technological revolution no matter where they live. As 5G technology evolves, it will make our cities smarter and greener, transform agriculture, improve health care, and accelerate the potential of smart homes and autonomous vehicles.”

“This is excellent news for the Minganie RCM region and for all of Quebec’s rural regions,” says Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue and MP for Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine. “The pandemic has shown us how essential high-speed Internet access has become for our communities – not only to bring people together in virtual spaces, but also for work, academic studies and business. Our government understands the urgent and vital need to connect remote regions throughout Quebec and Canada. We’re proud to be a part of this important project, and we will continue to invest and to work in partnership with the government of Quebec to ensure that every home has access to high-speed Internet.”

“Access to high-speed Internet is essential nowadays in all of Quebec’s regions, both for regional economic development and for residents’ quality of life,” says Jonatan Julien, Quebec Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Minister Responsible for the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine Region. “Our government is proud to have achieved this important step that will give all Québécois access to high-speed Internet. I’m very pleased to announce that the residents of the Minganie RCM will now have access to this indispensable service, thanks to our partnership with TELUS and the federal government.”

“We're thrilled about the imminent arrival of high-speed Internet and the cellular network in Ekuanitshit,” said Jean-Charles Piétacho, Chief of the Innus of Ekuanitshit Council. “This connectivity will help us to share our ancestral practices and accelerate the transmission of our precious heritage that has been passed down for thousands of years. It will provide our young people with a new gateway to the world, allowing them to learn and pursue their studies online without having to leave their friends and family behind. It will make it easier for our band council to collaborate with other Innu communities, and we will boost our economy and local tourism by taking full advantage of all of our new Internet-based options and tools.”

Highlights

• Deploying the TELUS PureFibre network in the RCM (regional county municipality) of Minganie to reach nearly 2,500 additional families and businesses in Havre-Saint-Pierre, Mingan (Ekuanitshit) and Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan by September 2022. These communities will have access to the superior bundle of TELUS residential products and services, which includes a vast selection of connected devices for healthcare and for the home as well as advanced security and entertainment technologies.
  
  
• Bringing the TELUS 5G network, utilizing our current spectrum holdings, to more than 10 additional communities in the Lower North Shore and in the Manicouagan, Minganie and Sept-Rivières RCMs, in addition to Baie-Comeau and Sept-Îles. 5G technology provides access to lightning-fast download speeds of up to 1.7 Gbps and will be expanded by 157 additional Quebec communities by year-end.
  
  
• Extending the TELUS 4G LTE network by adding new telecommunications sites in Mingan (Ekuanitshit) and Port-Menier in 2022. The 4G LTE technology deployed in Port-Menier will also make it possible to offer high-speed Internet to residents and businesses. TELUS has also submitted projects to the CRTC and its Broadband Fund program to improve wireless coverage in Lac Walker, near Route 389 north of Baie-Comeau, and in several municipalities and stretches of Route 138 between Sept-Îles and Natashquan.
  
  
• Supporting local organizations and vulnerable families on the North Shore. Since 2000, TELUS, its active and retired team members, and the TELUS Friendly Future Foundation have volunteered over 5,000 hours of their time and contributed more than $550,000 to local organizations, including the Centre de dépannage des Nords-Côtiers, the Fondation du Dr Camille-Marcoux, the Maison des familles de Baie-Comeau, the Maison des jeunes de Blanc Sablon, and Mission Exeko.
  

TELUS plans to invest $54 billion in Canada by 2024, including $9 billion in Quebec’s economy, notably in infrastructure and operations to improve the coverage, speed and reliability of its world-class networks. As part of the Canada-Quebec Operation High Speed program, the provincial and federal governments have granted TELUS $26 million to help deploy high-speed Internet to nearly 5,000 households. TELUS is making an additional investment to connect 25,000 additional families and businesses to the PureFibre network by fall 2022 in eastern Quebec, the Capitale-Nationale, Chaudière-Appalaches, Mauricie, and Estrie regions.

The investments announced in this media release are consistent with TELUS’ capital expenditure guidance for 2021, as updated in TELUS’ first quarter 2021 earnings’ release dated May 7, 2021, and our planned future capital expenditure plans, including our accelerated broadband build, as outlined in our March 2021 equity offering news release dated March 25, 2021.

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a dynamic, world-leading communications technology company with $16 billion in annual revenue and 16 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video and security. We leverage our global-leading technology and compassion to enable remarkable human outcomes. Our long-standing commitment to putting customers first fuels every aspect of our business, making us a distinct leader in customer service excellence and loyalty. In 2020, TELUS was recognized as having the fastest wireless network in the world, reinforcing our commitment to provide Canadians with access to superior technology that connects us to the people, resources and information that make our lives better. TELUS Health is Canada’s leader in digital health technology, improving access to health and wellness services and revolutionizing the flow of health information across the continuum of care. TELUS Agriculture provides innovative digital solutions throughout the agriculture value chain, supporting better food outcomes from improved agri-business data insights and processes. TELUS International (TSX and NYSE: TIXT) is a leading digital customer experience innovator that delivers next-generation AI and content management solutions for global brands across the sectors of technology, gaming, ecommerce/FinTech, communications/media, health care and travel/hospitality. TELUS and TELUS International operate in 25+ countries around the world. Together, let’s make the future friendly.

Driven by our passionate social purpose to connect all citizens for good, our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to give where we live has inspired TELUS, our team members and our retirees to contribute more than $820 million and 1.6 million days of service since 2000. This unprecedented generosity and unparalleled volunteerism have made TELUS the most giving company in the world.

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For more information, please contact:

Jacinthe Beaulieu
TELUS Media Relations
418-318-6102
jacinthe.beaulieu@telus.com