Two years after announcement of pending connectivity, cell services remain unavailable to most travellers between Sooke and Port Renfrew.
 
Exactly two years ago, the province awarded $4.9 million to Rogers Communications to install several cell phone towers west of Sooke through to Port Renfrew along the Highway 14 corridor.
 
The initial completion date, the province touted, was October of that year.
 
Two years on from the announcement, however, only Rogers has launched service, which recently went live, while the other carriers remain disconnected.
 
The latest update from the province called for an April delivery date of services.
 
Telus and its subsidiaries like Koodoo, and Bell, which collectively make up the majority of cellphone service providers in Canada in addition to Rogers, are still building their network infrastructure along the route.
 
Wireless connectivity among all of Rogers’ competitors may not fully materialize until the fall, and could be pushed into 2024 pending installation and the testing of equipment.
 
For Rogers customers, cell phone connectivity should be available along the route.
 
To ensure a US signal (which may supersede Canadian signals along the route) is not engaged, turn off roaming in your phone's setting.
 
Author unknown.