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For the 1st time, all Nunavut communities have cell service

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SSi Micro announced service in Kugluktuk, Nunavut, on Dec. 26

Gjoa Haven, Nunavut, was the last community in Nunavut to get cell service. (Jason Franson/CP)

All 25 of Nunavut's communities have access to cell service for the first time, now that SSi Micro has completed rolling out retail service across the territory.

Gjoa Haven, in western Nunavut, was the last community to get service on Dec. 20.

Kugluktuk was the last community announced by SSi, but it was already covered by Bell.

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SSi upgraded its cell towers, which had been in place since 2005, to be 4G-compatible over the last year and then slowly community-by-community announced cell plans for purchase.

Only those on the SSi Micro network can use phones in the communities where the company is the only service provider.

Bell offers cell service in 10 communities: Arviat, Rankin Inlet, Chesterfield Inlet, Baker Lake, Kugluktuk, Cambridge Bay, Igloolik, Pond Inlet, Pangnirtung and Iqaluit, according to a spokesperson.

Both companies committed to offering cell service in all communities by 2019, when the faster internet via low-orbit satellite was announced.

Bell's only added one community since its commitment as it is relying on Northwestel to set up cell towers in the remaining 15 communities.