SaskTel responds to concerns about fibre installation in Moosomin
May 18, 2023, 3:08 pm
After Moosomin Mayor Larry Tomlinson expressed concerns in a World-Spectator article about damage around Moosomin due to fibre installation by SaskTel and Access Cable, SaskTel issues a media statement regarding the damage.
“As Saskatchewan’s homegrown communications leader, SaskTel is firmly committed to ensuring that our customers across the province have access to the cutting-edge communications technologies and solutions they need to connect to the world,” wrote SaskTel Media Relations in an email to the World-Spectator.
“As part of this commitment, SaskTel is planning to invest $200 million in our multi-phase Rural Fibre Initiative which will see us expand our fibre powered broadband network, known as SaskTel infiNET service, to over 110,000 residents and businesses in more than 130 communities spread across the province by the end of March 2025—Moosomin is one of the communities that is being upgraded to infiNET service as part of the third phase of the Rural Fibre Initiative.
“While it is never SaskTel’s intent to disrupt or inconvenience our customers and the communities we operate in, there is quite a bit of complex construction required to bring infiNET service to a community which sometimes has unintended consequences.
“Regardless, SaskTel strives to limit the negative impacts of this construction work as much as possible and is fully committed to repairing any damages caused by the construction as soon as we are able to.
“With respect to the sewer damages reported in your story, SaskTel was informed of the issue in March 2023 and completed repairs before the end of that month.”
However, the town has stated their concern was not that the sewer damages weren’t fixed, but that they were never reported in the first place, and no one was aware of the issue until the sewer backed up. The town has expressed similar concern for the storm sewer, and worries they won’t find out about an issue until there is flooding.
“As for construction in Davidson Park, it is standard procedure for SaskTel and our contractors to use markings to identify hazards and to cover any holes created by construction with plywood until all necessary work is completed to prevent people or pets from falling into the openings,” said SaskTel.
“Construction in Davidson Park was completed late last week and we expect to complete the restoration process within a week or two.”
One of the concerns the town had raised in a call with SaskTel was the state of Davidson Park, and the town says they were told by SaskTel in the phone call that the park would not be cleaned up until fall. That concern was expressed in the original article.
“Our contractor working in the community has had meetings with the Town of Moosomin to review construction plans and discuss areas that are or will soon be under construction,” said SaskTel. “These meetings will continue to happen on a regular basis until construction has been completed in Moosomin.
In closing, we would like to apologize to the residents of Moosomin for any inconvenience the deployment of fibre has caused and would like to thank them for their continued patience while we work to ensure they have access to one of the most advanced broadband networks available anywhere in the world.”
