Northwestel and Telesat formalize Telesat Lightspeed agreement

April 2, 2026

Telesat and Northwestell have signed a multi-year contract for Telesat Lightspeed Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite services.

Northwestel will leverage the advanced LEO network to deliver low latency, sovereign broadband connectivity to communities across Northern Canada. By leveraging the Government of Canada’s Telesat Lightspeed capacity pool, Northwestel plans to provide high speed broadband, offering plans with at least 50 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload speeds and unlimited monthly usage.

Today, Northwestel serves 97 communities across Canada through a combination of fibre-powered and satellite technologies that are integrated with last mile solutions to serve its customers. For remote communities where fibre backhaul is not available, the resilient Telesat Lightspeed LEO network will serve as a critical component to bring faster internet speeds to households, businesses and institutions.

Trusted, sovereign broadband connectivity is vital to ensuring northern communities can fully participate in the digital economy. As an empowering technology, high speed broadband drives economic growth and opens doors to education, healthcare, new jobs, and government services delivered remotely. Northwestel plays a central role in this transformation as a local employer with a strong presence throughout the North, backed by support from dedicated technicians who understand the unique needs of the region.

“Northwestel’s leadership and vision for Northern connectivity, combined with the advanced Canadian Telesat Lightspeed LEO network, represents a powerful partnership to deliver high performing Northern broadband networks,” stated Michèle Beck, Telesat’s Senior Vice President of Canadian Sales. “Together we are ensuring that Canadians—no matter how far north they live—can fully participate in our nation’s digital future, while reinforcing Canada’s Arctic sovereignty.”

“This agreement reflects our commitment to Canadian innovation that directly serves Canadian needs.” says Tammy April, Vice President of Strategic Growth at Northwestel. “By partnering with Telesat and leveraging their advanced LEO network, we are investing in domestic technology that strengthens Northern connectivity, supports sovereignty, and delivers reliable broadband where it matters most.”