Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucus contracts will improve broadband access for 29,000 households and businesses

UNITED COUNTIES OF STORMONT, Dundas and Glengarry, ON, June 13, 2012 /CNW/ - UNITED COUNTIES OF STORMONT, Dundas and Glengarry, Ontario, June 13, 2012 /CNW/ - The Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucus (EOWC) has awarded Local Access Contracts that will improve access to high-speed Internet across much of the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, an eastern portion of the United Counties of Prescott and Russell, and a corner of the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, a region of more than 29,000 households. The service will be available by fall 2013.

Contracts have been awarded to both Bell Aliant and Xplornet Communications Inc. that will extend high-speed access across the area, expanding the reach of both companies existing networks. Bell Aliant will provide a wired DSL service to more densely populated areas with 53 kilometres of new fibre and 34 new access points, while Xplornet will extend its existing wireless services by building three new sites, rebuilding four sites, and upgrading 23 existing sites.

The combined solution will provide customers in communities from Cardinal to Hawkesbury with state-of-the-art technology, a range of speeds of up to 16 Mbps, and competitive, urban pricing. These speeds will enable users to stream video and other innovative applications that will support various sectors, including business, health and education.

"We are extremely pleased to announce these contracts," said Mel Campbell, Chair of the EOWC. "We continue to make steady progress on our goal of expanding high-speed broadband Internet access across Eastern Ontario."

In all, 22 local access contracts will be awarded in 15 zones to deliver high-speed Internet through wired and fixed wireless services as part of the Eastern Ontario regional broadband project. The $170 million project is funded by federal, provincial and municipal governments and private sector investment. Work to build a massive, 5,500-km fibre optic network is nearing completion and contracts have also been signed to deliver high-speed via satellite at improved pricing.

"With this contract, we've taken another important step towards the building a new regional network that will allow our residents and businesses to prosper," added Dave Burton, Chair of Eastern Ontario Regional Network Inc., (EORN). "Connecting to the Internet with higher speeds will open new doors for our communities in terms of quality of life and economic growth."

EORN is a not-for-profit organization established by the EOWC to manage all contracts awarded as part of the project.

Disponible en français.

Lisa Severson, Communications & Stakeholder Relations Officer, EORN
613-213-8520, [email protected]