Additional Satellite Phones Now Available on Trans Labrador Highway

Tuesday, March 9th of 2010

Motorists travelling remote sections of the Trans Labrador Highway (TLH) now have improved access to reliable emergency phone service thanks to the addition of 25 phones to the Provincial Government’s TLH satellite phone program. With the addition of these phones, there are now 65 satellite phones available to motorists travelling remote sections of the TLH.

"This is great news for people travelling remote sections of the Trans Labrador Highway between Labrador West and Happy Valley-Goose Bay and between Happy Valley-Goose Bay and Southern Labrador," said Minister Hedderson. “While we had reallocated some of our previously existing phones as an immediate measure to ensure some level of service for people travelling Phase III, we are now pleased to have 25 additional phones in operation to provide for greater safety and piece of mind for those who choose to avail of this important service.”

The plan to purchase these phones was announced on December 18, 2009, immediately following the opening of the TLH, Phase III to ensure that users of this new section of highway had access to this important service.

Each phone comes with an easy-to-follow instruction card for users.

Satellite phones can now be picked up at the following locations:

Wabush Hotel in Wabush;
Midway Travel Inn in Churchill Falls;
Hotel North Two and Royal Inn and Suites in Happy Valley-Goose Bay;
Cartwright Hotel in Cartwright;
Alexis Hotel in Port Hope Simpson; and,
Town Office in Charlottetown.
The phones are available free of charge to motorists travelling remote sections of the TLH. When borrowing a phone, residents of the province simply need to provide their driver licence number and non-residents need to provide a valid credit card number for tracking and security purposes. When users are finished with the phones, they can simply drop them off at the nearest participating location.

“This investment demonstrates the Provincial Government’s continuing efforts to ensure that people who travel the Trans Labrador Highway do so safely,” said the Honourable John Hickey, Minister of Labrador Affairs. “An enhanced and reliable emergency phone service will reassure highway travellers that they have the necessary means to secure assistance when it is needed.”

As with the phones currently in service, the new phones will be pre-programmed to enable calls to be directed to the Royal Newfoundland Constabulary (RNC) in Labrador City, which will co-ordinate appropriate emergency response through either the RNC or Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

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