Across Manitoba and Saskatchewan, rural towns and farmsteads are the backbone of local economies and community life. The vast geography of the two provinces, however, presents unique challenges to infrastructure, especially reliable Internet services.
Slower speeds, higher latency, or limited access can make everyday tasks harder than they should be. Whether it’s students needing reliable internet for homework, producers tracking realtime data from the field, or medical providers connecting with patients remotely via telehealth, fast and reliable connectivity isn’t just a luxury, it’s essential to work and life.
When rural residents have fast, dependable Internet, communities thrive. Local businesses reach new markets, health and social services become more accessible, and families feel more connected to each other and the world. That’s the vision behind RFNOW’s work in rural Manitoba and Saskatchewan: build a network that brings opportunity within reach, no matter your postal code.
Our Mission: Investing in Rural Fiber, For Today and Tomorrow
RFNOW was born in the Prairies and built for them. Our mission is simple but ambitious: deliver worldclass fiber connectivity and community first service to rural residents and businesses.
Here’s how we put that mission into action:
- True Rural Builds: We prioritize installing fiber routes that serve small towns, farmsteads, first nations, cottage areas, and other outlying areas, not just high density corridors. Every kilometer we lay is planned to reach more people, no matter their location.
- Reliability at the Core: As anyone in the Prairies knows, bad weather hits hard, impacting local infrastructure. So do peak season and peak-time demands. RFNOW’s network design, however, focuses on redundancy, robust field infrastructure, and proactive monitoring to keep your connection strong when it matters most. So if a huge snowstorm hits your area or a lot of homes are streaming the Stanley Cup Finals at the same time, your Internet will continue work.
- Community Driven Service: We live where we serve. Our technicians, planners, and customer care teams are part of the same communities our fibre is located. Responsiveness, transparency, and respect aren’t just policies; they’re central to how RFNOW operates.
Success Stories: Schools, Farms, and Small Businesses
Rural fiber is more than just faster Internet speeds so you can play your favourite games uninterrupted. It represents real change to daily life in real places. Here are some of the ways stronger connectivity is making a difference:
Schools: Learning Without Limits
Local classrooms and libraries are transforming with high capacity connections. Teachers can use interactive platforms, students can participate in virtual labs and tutoring, and school boards can securely manage devices and data. Plus, adult and distance learners can take steps to move their careers forward, all from the comfort of their own homes. The result: rural students keep pace with evolving curricula and digital tools without driving hours to access resources.
Farms: Precision Agriculture in Action
From GPS-guided equipment to moisture sensors and drone imagery, modern agriculture depends on fast, reliable data. Fiber powered connections let producers monitor field conditions, track inventories, and analyze yields in near real time. That translates into smarter inputs, better conservation, and more resilient operations, benefits that ripple throughout rural economies.
Small Businesses: Main Street, Global Reach
Local retailers, trades, and service providers use cloud platforms, pointofsale systems, and video consultations to serve customers near and far. With dependable upload speeds, entrepreneurs can showcase products, run e-commerce sites, and collaborate with partners across provinces while keeping their roots firmly planted in small town main streets.
Partnerships and Expansion: Building Together
Big challenges require shared solutions. RFNOW collaborates with municipalities, First Nations, regional development groups, and community organizations to identify priority areas, coordinate construction timelines, and minimize disruptions. These partnerships help us to:
- Accelerate Builds: Aligning permits, rights-of-way, and local schedules reduces delays and brings service online faster.
- Extend Our Reach: Joint planning finds costeffective ways to connect hard-to-reach areas, ensuring rural Internet expansion is inclusive while remaining efficient.
- Strengthen Resilience: Coordinated infrastructure (from power to transportation) improves network reliability across seasons and weather events.
Looking ahead, RFNOW’s future expansion plans focus on filling gaps between existing routes, increasing capacity in highgrowth areas, and preparing communities for the next wave of connected tools – from telehealth to remote work to tech advances in agriculture. As demand grows, so will our commitment to scaling fiber capacity and service delivery in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
How Residents Can Get Involved and Stay Informed
Community connectivity succeeds when the community is involved. Here’s how you can help shape the next phase of rural internet:
- Register Your Interest: Add your address to our interest lists to help us map demand and prioritize routes in your area.
- Spread the Word: Encourage friends, neighbors, and local businesses to register as well. Clusters of interested areas can accelerate build decisions.
- Participate in Local Meetings: Join town halls or community sessions where we share project timelines, construction updates, and service options.
- Prepare Your Property: When construction begins, we provide open, transparent, and clear guidance on drop installations and property access so the process is smooth and safe.
- Share Feedback: Tell us what’s working, what could be better, and what services you’d like to see next (bundled options, enhanced Wi-Fi, business solutions, and more).
A Connected Future, Rooted in Community
Connecting rural communities is about more than fiber lines. It’s about opportunity, fairness, and belonging. When students can stream lectures without buffering, when farmers make data-driven decisions from the field, and when small businesses reach customers well beyond town limits, the whole community moves forward together.
RFNOW is proud to serve the Prairies we call home. With continued investment, strong partnerships, and a focus on reliability, we’re closing the digital divide – one community, one main street, and one farm at a time.
Learn more about our community projects, upcoming builds, and how to register your interest. Visit our project updates page, sign up for notifications, and join us in building a more connected Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
