Ottawa company takes giant leap toward connecting remote communities

People living in Canada's North are finally gettingfaster internet service, thanks toOttawa-based Telesat.

The satellite communications company launched two satellites aboard SpaceX rockets earlier this year. One, launched in July, has already begun transmitting tosome communities in Nunavut.

"It will deliver 20 times more broadband connectivity than what they have today on the legacy infrastructure," Michele Beck, Telesat's vice-president of North American sales, told CBCRadio's All In A Day. "It's gigabits worth ofinternetconnectivity."

Northwestel customers in Iqaluit, Arviat, Cambridge Bay and Rankin Inlet are already seeingimproved service,with 25 communities set to come online by the end of 2019.

The launch is the latest step in aplan to build the complete satellite network to cover the vast region. InSeptember 2017, the federalgovernmentinvested $50 million in theproject.

Thrilling launch

Telesat contracts other companies to build and launch its satellites. SpaceX, founded by entrepreneur Elon Musk, has been delivering the company's latest technology into space.

"SpaceX is a new, very innovative company. They seemed to be reliable, priced competitively, and basically they won the bid,"Beck said.

The launch of Telesat'sTelstar 19 Vantage satellite fromCape Canaveral in July was breathtaking, Beck said, and a great experience for the Ottawa employees who were able to witness it.

"The fact that it was at Cape Canaveral, fairly close, [meant that] there was a larger group this time that was able to attend the launch and view it."

Beck said the launches area stepping stone to a more ambitious project called Leo Constellation,which will eventually deliverfibre-optic-like speed and quality that can serve customers anywhere on the planet.

"We could hit any ship in the oceans and provide broadband connectivity to moving ships, airplanes as they're flying. We can hit and servebasicallyany point on earth with broadband connectivity."