Access Communications was established in 1974 as the Regina Cablevision Co-operative. After a prolonged legal and constitutional dispute between the federal and the provincial governments, which had differing visions of how cable television should be delivered in the province, the co-operative was granted a Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission licence for broadcast in 1976 and began providing cable television services as Cable Regina on February 14, 1978. More than 24,000 households in Regina signed up for cable services in its first years of operations. After nearly two decades focusing solely on cable television and local broadcasting, the co-operative launched dial-up internet service in September 1995 and cable modembroadband service followed in 1997. Cable Regina diversified and extended its reach into other areas of the province in the 1990s through the acquisition of other cable television providers in Regina Beach, White City, Weyburn, Estevan and Yorkton. On April 17, 2000, the co-operative's name changed to Access Communications. In the early 2000s, Access Communications merged with the Battlefords Community Cablevision. Primary line telephone services were launched in 2007. Looking to further expand its presence in smaller communities, Access Communications purchased Persona's cable operations in Saskatchewan from Halifax-based Eastlink in 2009, becoming the largest cable television provider in the province. In 2015, Access Communications acquired Askivision and Saskatoon-based Little Loon Wireless; the purchase of the latter allowed the co-operative to deliver fixed-wireless broadband high-speed internet to rural areas in Saskatchewan.
Access Communications uses a hybrid fibre-coaxial network infrastructure to deliver its internet services. In March 2019, it announced that it is one of the internet service providers participating in the federal government's Connecting Families Program.
Access Communications' digital phone service was launched in February 2007 and utilizes IP technology instead of a traditional landline. Such a system operates on an ATA device with a built-in cable modem. The modem communicates over cable lines to a private IP network. In this sense, it can be considered VoIP, in that it is voice delivered over an IP network. However, because it travels over dedicated lines, it is still designed to be usable in a power outage scenario.
Home security
The co-operative offers home security and home automation services. In 2016, an Alarm.com-based home automation monitored service was introduced. Subscribers can secure and monitor their property through web-based and mobile applications, as well as through Apple, Amazon and Google devices.
Access7
Access Communications broadcasts the Access7 community channel in 100 communities and airs a variety of locally produced shows and events, including shows highlighting multicultural, Indigenous and LGBTQ2S+ perspectives in Saskatchewan. Its sports coverage includes broadcasts of the Regina Pats and other Western Hockey League games. Its first agreement with the Western Hockey League was signed in 1993.
Structure
Access Communications operates as a not-for-profit co-operative and its brand focuses on its community-based ownership, reinvesting its revenues on service improvements, as well as promoting and supporting local events and community organizations. It has a charity, the Access Communications Children's Fund, as well as a scholarship program. In 2019, the co-operative supported close to 2,000 community groups and was recognized as one of Canada's Best Diversity Employers, one of Saskatchewan Top 100 Companies and was named a Caring Company by Imagine Canada in 2017.
