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More North Okanagan communities now have access to high-speed internet service.

Fixed wireless infrastructure needed for high-speed connectivity has been installed for 288 households in rural Coldstream, Priest Valley, and the Cosens Bay, Parker Cove, and Bouleau Lake Road areas.

The installation will provide broadband Internet with faster download/upload speeds.

“Ensuring all British Columbians have access to reliable, high-speed internet services is critical to helping our communities grow. The past two years have underscored the importance of that connection, not only for entrepreneurs and businesses, but for students and families,” Vernon-Monashee MLA Harwinder Sandhu said in a press release.

“Connectivity upgrade projects like this empower our rural and remote communities to participate and thrive in the local and global economies.”

“Last-mile” fixed wireless infrastructure for high-speed connectivity was also installed in Armstrong, Enderby, Hullcar, Grindrod and rural areas surrounding Enderby and Armstrong.

“Connectivity has the ability to raise us all up by helping people connect and collaborate with each other, create and expand local economies or serve as a conduit to essential services like virtual medical visits or online learning,” said Roly Russell, Parliamentary Secretary for Rural Development.

“We will continue to work with smaller, rural communities until everyone in the province is connected.”