Telus Corp. will begin a head-on marketing battle with Shaw Cable in Kamloops later this year as it makes its Optik TV service available throughout the city.

The Vancouver-based company announced Friday it will spend $7.8 million in Kamloops this year to expand its fibre optic network and to upgrade cellular networks to the latest technology.

Corporate spokesman Shawn Hall said Optik TV, delivered through high-speed Internet has been available in select neighbourhoods beginning last year. Now with expansion of fibre optic cable into more neighbourhoods it will be available citywide later in 2011.

“Kamloops is one city we’re really focused on this year,” Hall said of $670 million in spending across B.C. this year.

Telus will also begin a major marketing push here for its Optik TV as an alternative to Shaw Cable and satellite service once the rollout is more advanced.

In addition to fibre optic cable that will bring faster Internet speeds and availability of Optik TV, Telus is also installing 80 new cell sites in Kamloops and rural areas with the latest HSPA+ technology, so-called 4G technology.

“We’re staying ahead of the device manufacturers.”

Hall said that technology will first be available through USB sticks for portable data on laptops and then for capable smartphones.

It will also have dual-cell capability, meaning users can tap into signals from more than one site.