Northwestel plans to extend its internet overage relief until May 31, a company spokesperson told NNSL Media on Monday.
The extension will be subject to approval by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), said Northwestel spokesperson Andrew Anderson.
"It is being done to facilitate increased telework and learning from home," he said, referring to the shift to online education by school boards across the NWT.
"The relief measures when approved will apply automatically to customer accounts. The specific usage measures remain unchanged, and are designed to ensure local networks do not exceed the total capacity."
The extension would include the doubled internet usage caps for satellite communities such as Colville Lake, Gameti, Lutsel K’e, Paulatuk, Sachs Harbour, Samba K’e, Ulukhaktok and Wekweeti.
A decision on Northwestel's application for the extension would be made "pretty shortly" said CRTC spokesperson Patricia Valladao.
Northwestel first introduced the overage waiving in March to give relief to Northerners stuck at home during the Covid-19 pandemic so that internet costs wouldn't grow too high. Its initial relief period went up until the end of April.