ANNAPOLIS COUNTY – Everyone who resides in the Municipality of the County of Annapolis has good news coming their way.
The municipality has a contract with Mainland Telecom to create a plan for building and developing an open access backbone fibre inside the state’s borders.
“Residents of Annapolis County did inform us at our public consultations that Network infrastructure all through the county was necessary if our towns and enterprises were to develop,” said Annapolis County Warden Timothy Habinski. “And the municipality agreed to this.”
Habinski continued, “We made this topic the top priority of our Economic Growth Plan, and I’m happy that we’re now in a position to act.” In order to increase capacity and reach households and underserved communities, backbone fibre is essential.
The County of Annapolis got several encouraging replies to a request for interest released in November 2015.
The negotiating process will begin right away, and if an opportunity arises, the county intends to construct infrastructure that can link to neighbouring towns.
The first step, according to Habinski, already made.
About Mainland Telecom
With its corporate office in the Annapolis Valley and a self-contained autonomous system, independent, full-service ISP Mainland Telecom has bulk data centres. The business may offer state-of-the-art voice, data, and internet solutions that enable strong connectivity even in remote locations.
Mainland Telecom’s Chris J. Norman, the company’s chief technology officer, expressed enthusiasm about “the opportunity to work with the Municipality of Annapolis on the development of a network that would offer major city connections to a rural area prepared for economic recovery.”
Mainland is happy to be a part of a long-term strategy that the town is ready to embrace, according to Norman.
An Internet backbone is a network of lightning-fast data transmission that provides high-speed Internet service providers, as well as governmental and educational organizations, with networking resources. The infrastructure required to offer reliable last-mile connection must include backbone fibre. This high-capacity backbone fibre will be superior to earlier attempts to connect Annapolis County people in terms of scope, capacity, and of course forward compatibility.
Funding Search
The county plans to apply for financing from the brand-new federal Connect to Innovate broadband infrastructure initiative as well as use its own resources in addition to the private capital from Mainland Telecom.
The greatest long-term solution is to give every home and company in Annapolis County fibre internet connection. Yet, the county recognizes the urgent need to address the lack of Internet connection in remote areas.
By applying to the Municipal and Community Rural High Speed Internet Funds, a one-time program that offers financing up to $75,000 from the province of Nova Scotia, the county and Mainland Telecom are working to support NCS Network’s important efforts to create last-mile wireless internet options for remote communities.
NCS Network, a cutting-edge wireless Internet service provider and supplier of end-to-end ICT solutions, concentrates on the highest-quality last-mile wireless solutions.
The municipality will keep its residents and businesses up to date as the initiatives progress.