With 3G cellular service set to end on March 1, 2027, Bell says it is upgrading wireless infrastructure to ensure NWT communities can continue to access data.
Sambaa K’e resident Aaron Chonkolay said when notifications from cellular companies like Bell and Telus went out about their plan to shut down 3G services in 2027, many residents were concerned about how they would continue to access the internet on their phones.
Sambaa K’e is one of eight NWT communities, Chonkolay said, without access to high-speed cell data like LTE and 5G. He said his research has found Colville Lake, Gamètì, Łútsël K’é, Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, Ulukhaktok and Wekweètì are in a similar position. (Bell did not confirm the affected communities, but maps published by providers generally line up with that assessment.)
Chonkolay has an iPhone 17 Pro Max, the latest model Apple offers, and gets 4G or LTE access when outside Sambaa K’e.
But Chonkolay said Sambaa K’e, like some other NWT communities, only gets “telecommunications through a giant satellite dish, and there’s no phone lines running from the main highway to our community.”
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission said cellular service providers in Canada – and globally – are phasing out their 3G cellular networks. Manitoba, for example, lost access to 3G services on April 14, 2026 according to Telus and Bell.
Bell’s website states retiring the 3G networks, which use “older radio access technologies that cannot efficiently coexist with LTE or 5G on the same frequency bands,” will allow for faster access to LTE and 5G.
Bell owns the cellular network infrastructure in the NWT. David Marcille, a spokesperson for the company, said it is working to upgrade that infrastructure to expand 4G and LTE access to communities only serviced by 3G before March 1, 2027.
“The retirement of the 3G network does not mean Bell is withdrawing service from these communities,” said Marcille.
Advertisement.
Advertisement.
“Based on our current plans, LTE capability will be in place before 3G services are retired, and customers with compatible devices will continue to have access to voice, text and data services on Bell’s mobile network.”
Marcille said testing will take place before 3G networks are shut down.
Martin Nguyen, a spokesperson for Telus. confirmed the company owns no wireless network infrastructure in the NWT – instead, it has an agreement with Bell – but is expecting 4G, 5G and LTE services to be available by March 1, 2027.
“We are working closely with our network partners as they prepare for the retirement of the 3G network in this region,” said Nguyen.
Both Bell and Telus said they are communicating with customers well in advance to ensure people have phones that can connect to 4G, 5G and LTE networks.
A spokesperson for the NWT’s Department of Executive and Indigenous Affairs said the territorial government is in contact with cellular service providers to ensure the switch to other networks “will result in minimal disruption.”
“The GNWT recognizes that reliable cellular service is important to residents across the territory, including for emergency response and public safety,” the GNWT spokesperson said.
