Videotron of Canada will spend $29 million by the end of 2006 to upgrade its network in Quebec City to handle bandwidth-eating services such as high-definition television.
Alongside the upgrade plans, the MSO said it will launch IP telephony services in Quebec City on July 11. The company has already signed up about 42,000 VoIP subs in parts of Laval, the Montreal South Shore, and the West Island. Telephony packages start at $15.95 per month.
The additional investment, which follows a fiber, two-way upgrade initiated in 1995, will help Videotron beef up capacity for new digital TV, high-definition television, data and voice services. Videotron said the bigger, better network will support 800 digital channels, or 126 HD channels.
The new upgrades and investments will touch 4,700 linear kilometers of the MSO’s broadband network.