Forty five years ago, the Bragg family, known for its success in the wild blueberry business, made a decision to enter the cable television business with one of the first cable licenses granted by the CRTC. Led by John Bragg, the company has been driven by a spirit of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurialism. The years that followed brought rapid expansion and growth throughout Nova Scotia and PEI culminating in the creation of Eastlink in the late nineties.
The next decade saw Eastlink transform the telecommunications landscape as the company became the first cable company in Canada to launch local telephone service bringing much-needed competition and choice to consumers.
While continuing to invest heavily in its fibre network, Eastlink successfully expanded its High Speed Internet service to communities, large and small, across Atlantic Canada and quickly became recognized as a world-class provider of communications services.
In 2000, Eastlink pioneered the industry yet again when the company introduced the now ever-present “triple-play” communications and entertainment bundle combining cable, high speed Internet, and local telephone service making it the first in North America to bundle all services on one bill for one price.
Eastlink continued to innovate by building on the strength of its celebrated high speed Internet service, securing its place as one of the fastest Internet providers in North America with speeds that grew from 5 Mbps to 400 Mbps in just a few short years.
With a series of strategic acquisitions across Canada, Eastlink quickly grew the business from coast to coast, including Newfoundland, becoming the largest, privately-held telecommunications company in the country and the fifth largest teleco overall in Canada.
The company continued to grow its traditional lines of business expanding video programming and TV OnDemand services and launching more high definition content in under a year than any other provider in North America. This secured Eastlink’s place as the dominant video provider in its core markets. Despite its continued growth, Eastlink recognized the importance of expanding into other lines of business, adding what was a natural fit for the business – home security and automation.
The most pivotal and transformative decision in recent years however, is the company’s foray into the wireless world, made possible by its successful showing at the 2008 wireless spectrum auction.
Driven by the same spirit of innovation, creativity and entrepreneurialism, Eastlink brought its advanced wireless service to the telecommunications landscape, adding another flagship product to its already iconic bundle.
Headquartered in Atlantic Canada, Eastlink employs over 1,500 people across Canada and has held the designation as one of Canada’s 50 Best Managed Companies for ten consecutive years. Committed to the communities it serves, Eastlink helps raise over $3.5M annually for charitable and community organizations. They give back to the local communities by:
- Broadcasting the annual Discovery Health Care Foundation Eastlink Telethon
- Broadcasting the weekly Clarenville TV bingo on Channel 6
- Taking part in the annual Clarenville Day Festival and the Clarenville Craft and Home Trade Show
- Broadcasting local events on Eastlink TV (such as; Clarenville Caribou games, figure skating, music festivals, and the NL Winter Games)
- As well, in 2015 Eastlink became the title sponsor of the Clarenville Events Centre, now known as; the Eastlink Events Centre – Clarenville
