Atlin becomes Northwestel’s 97th community served
As northerners, we know our needs are unique from the south. It’s important that our communities have local northern customer services that understand our landscapes and cultures. We need the attitude that believes no matter how small, every community matters. That is why we at Northwestel are happy to announce as of November 23, 2023, Atlin, B.C. is our 97th served community.
At the CRTC hearing earlier this year, the Taku River Tlingit First Nation expressed their concerns about the digital infrastructure gap and the jurisdictional issues that prevented any service improvement in their community. Hearing their frustrations, Northwestel moved forward in collaboration with the TRTFN to address these concerns.
With a common goal of improving telecom services, Northwestel took over Telus as the primary telecom service provider. Internet and cellular service are not currently available in Atlin. Northwestel is working with the Taku River Tlingit First Nation on funding proposals with the intention of bringing these services to Atlin in the future.
"This transition represents a significant step forward in our quest to bring high-quality connectivity to the heart of our community. We are confident that these ongoing digital advancements will significantly enhance our quality of life in Atlin.”
- Charmaine Thom, a spokesperson for the Taku River Tlingit First Nation
Northwestel launched the Every Community Project in 2020 that brought fibre to every community in the Yukon and Northwest Territories. With the arrival of faster, more reliable Internet, communities now have better and more reliable access to healthcare, education, employment opportunities and ways to connect with friends and family. It is this same level of technology and service we hope to bring to Atlin.
“Atlin is a part of the North and it just makes sense for them to be a part of the Northwestel family too. We don’t want to stop at voice service. Our vision is to upgrade Atlin to full fibre-to-the-home Internet so they can get the same fast, unlimited Internet and live TV as many of our northern communities have.”
- Curtis Shaw, President of Northwestel
