VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 26, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TELUS and Translink today announced that TELUS has brought wireless service to the underground Dunsmuir SkyTrain tunnel between Stadium-Chinatown and Waterfront stations, including the Granville and Burrard station platforms. This means TELUS, Koodo, and Public Mobile customers can stay connected on the entirety of the Expo SkyTrain line, even underground. TELUS’ 4G LTE network has earned global recognition as the best network in Canada from third party organizations. Just last week, TELUS announced it has been recognized as the best network in Canada for 4G Wireless Availability, Video Experience, Download Speed Experience, Latency Experience, and Upload Speed Experience in Opensignal’s Canada: Mobile Network Experience Report , in addition to earning 2019 Fastest Mobile Network and Best Mobile Coverage Speedtest Awards™ in Canada from Seattle-based Ookla® for Q3-Q4 2019.



In 2019, TELUS was recognized by industry-leading experts, including OpenSignal, Ookla, J.D. Power, PCMag, and Tutela, building on an outstanding record of achievement with respect to network excellence, having earned the top spot in four out of five of the major mobile network reporting for the third consecutive year in a row or more. Notably, these awards are based on TELUS’ national networks, inclusive of both urban and rural coverage.

“Any SkyTrain user can attest to the fact that almost everyone is using a wireless device during their commute, whether they’re streaming a podcast, catching-up on emails, reading the news online, or connecting with family and friends,” said Eros Spadotto, TELUS Executive Vice-President of Technology Strategy and Business Transformation. “Now, TELUS, Koodo, and Public Mobile users will enjoy a seamless connection between Stadium-Chinatown and Waterfront stations, on the most award-winning network. In fact, in last week’s UK-based Opensignal global ranking report, TELUS’ record-breaking 4G network speeds beat South Korea’s 5G average download speeds.”



TELUS invests billions of dollars a year to bring new and enhanced connectivity to communities and consumers across Canada, in addition to the billions it must spend to purchase spectrum from the federal government to maintain the wireless capacity required to serve the increasing demand of consumers in British Columbia and across Canada. Since 2000, TELUS has invested $181 billion nationally in network infrastructure, operations and spectrum, which includes more than $47 billion in technology and operations in B.C.

“We live in an era where many of us rely on uninterrupted connectivity,” said TransLink CEO Kevin Desmond. “Whether you’re getting a head-start to your day or winding down on your way home – our customers who rely on the TELUS network can now stay connected, productive, and informed while travelling through our downtown stations.”

TransLink provides more than one million journeys across its integrated transit network each day, and the 1.4 kilometre route through the underground Dunsmuir Tunnel is one of the busiest stretches along the SkyTrain network.

This new connectivity along the SkyTrain line also means residents can use the Babylon by TELUS Health service while waiting for their train on an underground platform, getting helpful health advice or booking a virtual appointment with a doctor for when they reach their destination. British Columbia is the only Canadian province that has access to the Babylon by TELUS Health service’s direct one-on-one virtual doctor consultation feature, enabling residents to speak with a B.C.-licensed physician at their convenience from their smartphone. More than 800,000 British Columbians do not have a family doctor, making the Babylon by TELUS Health service a critical service to help more residents access quality care and communicate with healthcare professionals. This easy-to-use free downloadable app connects British Columbians to healthcare support seven days a week including evenings, weekends and holidays. Users have the ability to book an appointment online and visit with a doctor, and have prescriptions sent to the users’ preferred pharmacy for easy pick-up. The cost of the video consultation is covered by the patient’s provincial MSP.

TELUS’ has committed to invest $4.7 billion throughout British Columbia between 2017 and 2020, at no cost to taxpayers.

About TELUS

About TELUS TELUS (TSX: T, NYSE: TU) is a dynamic, world-leading communications and information technology company with $14.6 billion in annual revenue and 14.5 million customer connections spanning wireless, data, IP, voice, television, entertainment, video and security. We leverage our global-leading technology to enable remarkable human outcomes. Our longstanding commitment to putting our customers first fuels every aspect of our business, making us a distinct leader in customer service excellence and loyalty. TELUS Health is Canada's largest healthcare IT provider, and TELUS International delivers the most innovative business process solutions to some of the world’s most established brands.

Driven by our passionate social purpose to connect all Canadians for good, our deeply meaningful and enduring philosophy to give where we live has inspired our team members and retirees to contribute more than $700 million and 1.3 million days of service since 2000. This unprecedented generosity and unparalleled volunteerism have made TELUS the most giving company in the world.

For more information about TELUS, please visit telus.com, follow us @TELUSNews on Twitter and @Darren_Entwistle on Instagram

About TransLink

With a public transit service area spanning more than 1,800 square kilometres, we deliver a wide range of services and programs to meet the needs of 2.5 million people in Metro Vancouver. These include bus, SeaBus, SkyTrain, West Coast Express, and HandyDART services. We also fund a dedicated Transit Police force, operate and maintain five of the region’s bridges, and, in conjunction with local governments, share responsibility for the Major Road Network, as well as walking and cycling infrastructure.

Besides managing transportation demand-management strategies and programs, we support the region’s growth strategy, provincial and regional environmental objectives, and regional economic development.

For more information about TransLink, please visit translink.ca and follow us @TransLink across social media platforms.

For media inquiries, please contact:

TELUS Media Relations

Liz Sauvé

Liz.sauve@telus.com

TransLink Media Relations

Media@translink.ca