Hay River now has access to North's 'fastest residential internet speeds'

Residents of Hay River are now able to request new fibre internet packages from Northwestel.

In a news release sent Monday, the company said that they are beginning the final stages of its Fibre-to-the-Home project, which aims to connect individual customers to the new fibre network. 

"Hay River residents in single dwelling homes are now able to submit an online request for Internet speeds up to 250 Mbps," said the release.

The company said the fibre internet will bring customers the North's "fastest residential internet speeds," promising their packages will be up to "16 times faster" than what was available in the community before.

The company also said in the release that it has implemented several procedures in Hay River to keep customers and employees safe during the COVID-19 pandemic. These include customers being able to request service installation online, the company limiting installations to once a week, and single dwelling homes being prioritized in the project's first phase.

The release quotes the company's president Curtis Shaw as thanking the community for their patience, and recognizing the efforts of northern employees.

"I want to recognize our northern employees for their tireless efforts to make Hay River the first Fibre-to-the-Home community North of 60," said Shaw in the release.

In 2019, the company began building capacity to allow for fibre internet in Hay River, to prepare "more than 90 per cent" of homes in the community for it by placing buried and overhead fibre optic cable through much of the community.

Residents can submit an online request to get the fibre internet installed here.