Northwestel is bringing high-speed, unlimited internet to nine remote communities across the Northwest Territories and Yukon.
With support from the Government of Canada and our partners, we will use world-leading in-community fibre-to-the-home and low-Earth-orbit satellite technology to deliver reliable, future-ready connectivity designed for the Arctic.
This project will bring high‑speed, unlimited internet to homes and businesses in Łutselkʼe, Ulukhaktok, Paulatuk, Gamèti, Sambaa K’e, Wekweètì, Colville Lake, and Sachs Harbour in the Northwest Territories, as well as to Old Crow in the Yukon.
“Sky to Home is about equitable access to modern broadband, bringing the same fibre technology used in southern Canada to remote northern communities. It is a future-proof connectivity solution that supports reliable, scalable connectivity for residents, businesses, and essential public services like education and healthcare. This project makes Canada stronger, with the fibre network being built, operated and maintained by Northwestel’s teams based here in Northern Canada.”
Imran Khan, CFO and VP of Corporate Services, Northwestel
World-leading technology arrives in new communities
Fibre-to-the-home
Much of the existing in-community copper telecommunications infrastructure in remote northern communities limits the speed and reliability of the internet that residents can access today. By installing fibre‑optic cable directly to homes along community utility poles, Sky to Home replaces aging technology with a modern, durable network built to serve communities for generations.
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Copper phone wires X Limited capacity |
Fibre optics ✓ Massive capacity |
Multi-orbit satellite transport
Once fibre optics are installed in our eight target communities in the Northwest Territories and Old Crow in the Yukon, we will connect to multi-orbit satellite transport, which brings together multiple satellite technologies into one reliable experience. This will combine low-Earth-orbit satellites from industry leaders such as Telesat and OneWeb with other satellite and terrestrial connections, tailored to local conditions and needs. Each site is designed for resilience, with built-in backup paths, automatic failover, and round-the-clock monitoring.
| Resilience through orbital redundancy: Reduces single-orbit exposure and mitigates issues related to congestion, weather, or constellation-specific disruptions. |
Future proofing: As requirements evolve, solutions can shift between architectures without a full redesign. |
| Performance optimization: Different orbits and transports can be aligned to different traffic types, allowing performance to be tuned by application rather than constrained by geography. |
Canada strong: We will prioritize landing all data in Canada, promoting Arctic and data sovereignty. |
Social and economic benefits
Local investment:
Northwestel will maximize the use of qualified local and northern services and contractors during the rollout of the Sky to Home solution. There will be opportunities for businesses and individuals involved in accommodation and food services, vehicle and equipment rentals, traffic control, and civil work, among other fields.
Northern presence:
Customers will be served by technicians and customer support living and working in Northern Canada. In many cases, local Community Service Technicians will be trained to maintain the network once operational.
Supporting Arctic security
Data security:
Data will be routed through Canada, prioritizing data security in an increasingly complex world. Canadian-owned fibre and domestic-based ground stations can reduce exposure to potential foreign surveillance, service disruptions, or geopolitical leverage.
Trusted partner:
Northwestel is a northern company working with trusted partners who understand the North. Our teams live and work in northern communities, giving us a direct, long-term commitment to the people and places we serve.
Acknowledging our Indigenous partners
Northwestel operates on the traditional territories of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit. We are grateful for the many Indigenous partnerships over the decades that have helped build a strong northern network.
We acknowledge the Indigenous government support we have received as we take this next step. We commit to moving forward in consultation and collaboration with local communities and governments.
