MARCH 30, 2022

TELUS investing $110 million to bring Canada’s fastest Internet speeds to the City of Coquitlam and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm First Nation

Advanced TELUS PureFibre X network will connect residents and businesses directly to ultra-fast Internet speeds of 2.5 Gbps 

Coquitlam, B.C., kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem)– TELUS is investing $110 million to connect homes and businesses in Coquitlam and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) First Nation directly to our fibre optic network. TELUS PureFibre, B.C.’s only 100 per cent pure fibre-to-the-home network, means that every part of the network is built with state-of-the-art fibre optics, right up to the connection point at the home or business, ensuring customers have the fastest most capable network available. Just last month, TELUS launched PureFibre X across the Lower Mainland and Fraser Valley¹, a groundbreaking new tier of home Internet with symmetrical upload and download speeds of 2.5 Gbps. These speeds are the fastest in Canada among all major providers² and mark a substantial leap in the next generation of Internet technology. With the only true all fibre network in Western Canada, we can seamlessly increase bandwidth and capacity to deliver these unparalleled speeds to all PureFibre customers. Work on the PureFibre network in Coquitlam is already underway, and TELUS anticipates the majority of \homes and businesses will be connected by the end of 2023. 

“TELUS is proud to be making this generational investment in Coquitlam and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm First Nation's community of slakəyánc (Coquitlam I.R. 1) , providing the technology to bridge geographic and socio-economic divides and connect citizens to the people, resources and information that make their lives better,” said Darren Entwistle, President and CEO of TELUS. “Importantly, TELUS PureFibre offers the community a globally unmatched wireline infrastructure that ensures all citizens have access to the digital tools to drive improved health, social and economic outcomes. Moreover, TELUS PureFibre enables entrepreneurs, start-ups and home-based businesses and workers to benefit from the same Internet speeds, functionality, reliability and security that large enterprises currently enjoy. We look forward to connecting our fellow British Columbians in Coquitlam to TELUS PureFibre and supporting the community as it attracts new industries and innovators, supporting the jobs of today and those that have yet to be imagined.”

Our PureFibre X Internet plan also includes next-generation Wi-Fi 6, the fastest home Wi-Fi available anywhere in Western Canada. By combining Wi-Fi 6 technology with PureFibre X, households will experience faster Internet speeds on more devices so everyone can simultaneously game, surf the web, make video calls, work or learn from home, and stream in 4k. 

“kʷikʷəƛ̓əm First Nation will greatly benefit from the addition of the TELUS PureFibre Network which will help us become a strong, self-governing Nation and empower our members, families and community through engaged and shared planning and decision-making,” said John Peters, Councillor kʷikʷəƛ̓əm First Nation. “This addition to our infrastructure will also allow us to better communicate with our members who live here in our ancient village of slakəyánc (Coquitlam I.R.¹) as well as with our members who live in other parts of Canada and the United States.  As well, the upgrade will allow us to utilize new TELUS tools and technology, such as their online digital literacy courses and Vidflex by Worldplay, and provide new ways for the Nation to share our language and cultural activities and be better connected to each other, no matter where we live.” 

A direct connection to the TELUS PureFibre network comes at no cost to taxpayers or residents, and TELUS plans to bring this critical network infrastructure to more communities in the years ahead. Residents can expect to see TELUS trucks throughout the community as construction begins. Once homes are connected, residents can immediately begin taking advantage of dramatically faster and symmetrical Internet speeds. 

“The City of Coquitlam is a diverse community that is also one of the fastest-growing cities in the country,” said Coquitlam Mayor Richard Stewart. “While we grow, we are dedicated to our vision of sustaining a high quality of life for current and future generations, where people choose to live, learn, work and play. This investment complements the City’s ongoing work to improve connectivity and digital infrastructure in our City and further support businesses, residents and community groups.”

In 2021, TELUS was named the fastest Internet service provider (ISP) in Canada by New York-based PCMag for the second consecutive year³. TELUS PureFibre was ready to withstand the additional demands of the Covid-19 pandemic, and supported 1.5 million British Columbian households and businesses as they adapted to new ways of living. Additionally, TELUS PureFibre was recognized for having the fastest game download speeds in Canada by Steam⁴. TELUS’ superior wireless network speed, strength, and reliability has also been recognized by two industry-leading experts, including being named the fastest mobile provider in Canada for the ninth consecutive time by Seattle-based Ookla®⁵ and earning the title of Canada’s fastest mobile network in London-based Opensignal’s 2021 Mobile Network Experience Report (Canada)⁶.

The past few years have underlined how imperative world-class connectivity is to allow our citizens to work, learn and stay in touch with loved ones from home,” said Fin Donnelly, MLA for Coquitlam-Burke Mountain. “I would like to congratulate TELUS on expanding their PureFibre network to Coquitlam and to the kʷikʷəƛ̓əm First Nation. This investment will allow our community and the First Nation to attract businesses as best-in-class connectivity is required to compete on a global scale. Thank you TELUS for continuing to partner with and support members of our community.”

For more information, please visit telus.com/purefibre. 

1. PureFibre X is now available in Abbotsford, Vancouver, Delta, Surrey, Burnaby, Maple Ridge, Langley, North Vancouver, West Vancouver, New Westminster, Pitt Meadows, Port Moody, Richmond, White Rock, Port Coquitlam, and Coquitlam.

2. Conditions apply. TELUS offers the fastest download and upload speeds of up to 2.5 Gbps compared to any other major internet service provider in Canada. TELUS is the only major provider in Western Canada with a 100% fibre optic connection to the home. Fibre optic technology is based on light signals which is not impacted by the capacity constraints and environmental stresses that affect traditional copper wire or copper wire hybrid networks. That means a fast, consistent connection to your home. Not available in all areas. Individual results may vary depending on location, usage within the home network, number of connected devices on the speed profile, applicable network management or server configurations. For a description of TELUS’ network management practices please see telus.com/networkmanagement.

3. Based on a national average of the PCMag Speed Index that compares major Canadian ISPs using 78,301 tests conducted between April 1, 2020 and June 7, 2021. Reproduced with permission. © 2021 Ziff Davis, LLC. All Rights Reserved. A trademark of Ziff Davis, LLC. Used under license.

4.  Based on average download speeds for all game downloads from the Steam client across Canada as of November 4, 2021. Does not include broadcast or streaming video content. See http://store.steampowered.com/stats/content/ for the latest results.

5.  Based on analysis by Ookla® of Speedtest Intelligence® data for Q2-Q3 2017, Q1-Q2 and Q3-Q4 in 2018, 2019 and 2020, Q1-Q2 and Q3-Q4 in 2021. Ookla trademarks used under license and reprinted with permission.

6. Opensignal Awards – Canada: Mobile Network Experience Report, August 2021, based on independent analysis of mobile measurements recorded during the period April 1 – June 29, 2021. © 2021 Opensignal Limited.

About TELUS

TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a dynamic, world-leading communications technology company with $17 billion in annual revenue and 17 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video, and security. Our social purpose is to leverage our global-leading technology and compassion to drive social change and enable remarkable human outcomes. Our longstanding commitment to putting our customers first fuels every aspect of our business, making us a distinct leader in customer service excellence and loyalty.  The numerous, sustained accolades TELUS has earned over the years from independent, industry-leading network insight firms showcase the strength and speed of TELUS’ global-leading networks, 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 designs, builds, and delivers next-generation solutions, including AI and content management, for global and disruptive brands across high-growth industry verticals, including tech and games, communications and media, ecommerce and FinTech, healthcare, and travel and hospitality. TELUS and TELUS International operate in 25+ countries around the world.

Driven by our determination and vision to connect all citizens for good, our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to give where we live has inspired TELUS, our team members and retirees to contribute more than $900 million and 1.8 million days of service since 2000. This unprecedented generosity and unparalleled volunteerism have made TELUS the most giving company in the world. Together, let’s make the future friendly.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com, follow us @TELUSNews on Twitter and @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram.

For media inquiries, please contact:

Liz Sauvé

TELUS Public Relations

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