Inukshuk forges ahead with massive buildout; company on track to hit targets

Revived broadband wireless access provider Inukshuk Internet Inc. is forging ahead with a massive network rollout in many parts of the country, but rumours of a 200-cell site deployment in southern Alberta are untrue. David Robinson, VP of business implementation at Rogers Wireless Inc., whose parent company Rogers Communications Inc. is part owner of Inukshuk, says the company is rolling out aggressively. "We’re furiously at it…We’re in the build phase, deep into it. So, there is much activity," he tells Report on Wireless. But the alleged 200-cell site deployment in Alberta is untrue and off the mark, he adds. Bell Canada, the other Inukshuk owner, echoes the same message. "That is inaccurate," a company spokesperson says. "They’re in stages of a massive buildout, they have their program in place." Robinson wouldn’t go into specific details regarding the scope of the network deployment, citing competitive intelligence. The buildout is taking place "in every area where we have a licence," he says. The company holds the rights to 12 licences that were issued in March 2000 following a competitive licensing process. The licence for Saskatchewan is held by provincial incumbent telephone company SaskTel and the licence for Manitoba was previously issued for distance education. Inukshuk is still on track to hit its previously identified target of 40 cities and 50 rural areas by 2008 and will also meet nearer-term rollout commitments. "We’re on track as far as our objectives go," Robinson adds. Inukshuk currently offers service in Cumberland ON, Burnaby BC, Red Deer AB and parts of Oakville ON. The company toiled in near obscurity for years after being licensed by Industry Canada because it was waiting for technology advancements to catch up. The promise of a near-national broadband wireless provider was buoyed last year when Bell and Rogers agreed to co-operate on Inukshuk (RoW, Sept. 23/05). A key aspect of the agreement is the two companies will leverage their existing wireless infrastructure to deploy Inukshuk’s network, saving the operation possibly hundreds of millions of dollars in network start-up costs.

Inukshuk forges ahead with massive buildout; company on track to hit targets

News | January 10, 2006

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