Progress continues to get people in Eastern Ontario better cell service, according to the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN).
The Network’s Cell Gap Project aims to close cell coverage gaps across the region and improve public safety and municipal services. Their goal is to cover 99 percent of Eastern Ontario with basic cell coverage from Lake Simcoe to the Quebec border, and from the northern tip of Renfrew County to the south of Prince Edward. Some of the biggest gaps in cell coverage are around Algonquin Park, Southern Renfrew County, and the northern halves of Hastings, Lennox and Addington, and Frontenac Counties.
So far EORN has upgraded 140 of the existing 300 towers with better cell technology, including 5G. They have also started the construction of six of 265 new tower sites.
For 2022, the group plans to have 20 new towers built and will continue upgrading existing ones. They will also continue to acquire land, consult with First Nations and conduct archeological assessments. The Cell Gap Project is expected to be completed by 2025.