Xplornet
Formerly called | Barrett XPlore Inc. |
|---|---|
| Industry | Telecommunications |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Headquarters | Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada |
Key people | Allison Lenehan (President) |
| Parent | Barrett Corporation |
| Website |
xplornet |
Xplornet is a Canadian wireless carrier and rural internet service provider. It is the largest rural fixed wireless broadband service provider in the country, and is currently the only Canadian provider to have the CRTC enforce "Net Neutrality" upon their services.
History
Xplornet was founded in 2004 under the name Barrett XPlore.[1]
In April 2012, Xplornet entered into a partnership with Shaw Communications to market bundles of its Shaw Direct satellite television service with Xplornet internet service.[2]
In 2014, the company purchased capacity on ViaSat-2 and EchoStar XIX as part of a plan to expand its service area to all of Canada by 2017.[3][4]
In January 2017, Xplornet acquired the Saskatoon-based competitor YourLink.[5]
On February 16, 2017, Bell announced that as part of its acquisition of Manitoba Telecom Services (MTS), it would divest a portion of its wireless subscribers to Xplornet. The divestment is a condition of the deal intended to preserve the presence of four major wireless carriers in Manitoba post-merger (Bell will also divest a larger portion of MTS's wireless subscribers to Telus). Xplornet will receive 24,700 MTS subscribers, as well as 6 retail locations, and wireless spectrum. Bell entered into agreements with Xplornet to provide tower access, roaming, and devices for a period of time while it establishes its new mobile network.[6]
Services
Xplornet provides fixed wireless internet access to remote areas through a combination of satellite internet as well as LTE and WiMAX fixed wireless networks. It owns part of the lifetime capacity of ViaSat-2 and is expanding its 4G network. These networks support approximately 250,000 subscribers, the largest number of rural Canadian subscribers of any company as of 2015.[4]
In February 2017, Xplornet announced that it would launch mobile wireless services in Manitoba; the basis of the LTE network will be wireless spectrum and subscribers divested from Bell Mobility as a condition of its acquisition of MTS.[7][6]
References
- ↑ "Company Overview of Xplornet Communications Inc.". Bloombery. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
- ↑ "Shaw, Xplornet team up to bundle rural delivery". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 28 May 2016.
- ↑ Henry, Caleb (October 2, 2014). "Xplornet Charts Path to 100 Mbps Broadband Speed Using HTS". Satellite Today. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
- 1 2 "Xplornet pledges fast internet for rural, remote areas". CBC News. July 28, 2014. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
- ↑ "Rural internet provider YourLink to come under new ownership". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. Retrieved 19 June 2017.
- 1 2 "Ottawa approves BCE-MTS tie-up; deal to benefit Xplornet". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 15 February 2017.
- ↑ "Bell takeover of MTS gets federal approval". CBC News. Retrieved 15 February 2017.