FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 21, 2007

Coolest Broadband Tools

Iqaluit, NU – Baffin Island Community Service Providers (CSPs) of broadband services are trying out the latest broadband technologies planned for the QINIQ broadband network during a CSP workshop in Iqaluit, March 21-26th.

On Friday, March 23rd, from 3:30 to 6:00, Iqalungmiut are invited to check out the new hardware, software, and people who are part of the QINIQ network. The Demonstration Day will be at the Baffin room of the Frobisher Inn. A brief official presentation will be made at 4:00 pm.

“This is the first opportunity Baffin CSPs have had to meet in person in two and a half years”, says Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation (NBDC) Chairman Darrell Ohokannoak. “The exchange of ideas at this workshop will make sure that broadband services will continue to expand as people in Nunavut do more and more with the technology. The infrastructure was only the first step – now the really exciting work can begin – seeing what everyone is doing with it, and their plans for the future.”

The week is jam packed with events, as the CSPs participate in testing of Digital Voice services, experiment with Click to Meet multipoint desktop videoconferencing, try out the new Low Cost workstation, and plan the roll out of Visitor Access hotspots in communities across Baffin Island.

NBDC is gathering input from the CSPs on a planned “Nunavut Centre of Excellence”, where on line resources will be developed for on-the-job support for CSPs and people in communities trying to do more with new broadband tools.

Nunasi Corporation has joined in the efforts to ensure Nunavut communities are well served. Fred Hunt, President/CEO of Nunasi says “We are supporting the work of the NBDC. This next round of broadband services were developed by NBDC to answer the needs of Nunasi’s shareholders, and we plan on continuing our support of NBDC’s efforts in the future”. Nunasi provided a $50,000 donation to NBDC, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to ensuring all Nunavut residents benefit from broadband.

Every community has broadband access in Nunavut through the QINIQ Network, an initiative started by the Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation in 2003 to ensure affordable access to broadband in every Nunavut community. SSI Micro of Yellowknife won the NBDC RFP to build and maintain the network. The CSPs have contracts with SSI Micro to provide local services to community members – successfully signing up almost twice as many people as Federal satellite bandwidth funders expected. Nunavut residents have hooked up to QINIQ services faster than in any southern jurisdiction in Canada, making the QINIQ Network a huge success story on a national scale.

Funding for the CSP workshop was provided by the Department of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, the Government of Nunavut’s Economic Development and Transportation, along with the generous support of Canadian North Airlines.

For more information, contact: 
Lorraine Thomas, Project Manager
Ph. (888) 599-6232 ext 3
Email: lorraine@qiniq.com
www.nunavut-broadband.ca

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