Nunavut to benefit from cheaper access to satellite time

IQALUIT, NU Oct. 6, 2003 -- Nunavut is one step closer to realizing the dream of affordable broadband connections in every community with Industry Canada's announcement of subsidized bandwidth for remote communities.
"Subsidized bandwidth will help us connect to each other at prices similar to southern prices - it is one piece of the chain that will see everyone connect in Nunavut," says Lorraine Thomas, Project Manager for the Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation.
But Nunavut has a long way to go before realizing the true benefits of higher bandwidth. According to Thomas, Nunavut communities require substantial investment in the ground infrastructure that would allow Nunavummiut to efficiently connect to the higher bandwidth. The existing on-the-ground infrastructure was developed to move much smaller amounts of traffic. It was not originally set up to move large amounts of traffic, such as videoconferencing and online document sharing needed for conducting meetings and training.
Thomas explains the problem. "Providing subsidized bandwidth to Nunavut is like providing a subsidy for ships to bring freight, people and ideas in and out of Nunavut. Yes, we need these ships. But without appropriate harbours, we would have trouble getting the materials on and off the ships. Only the little low speed craft, like dialup connections, could get into our communities. We still need to build the local infrastructure for broadband harbours that can serve broadband traffic."
NBDC is awaiting details of the announcement on how Industry Canada plans to distribute the subsidy between the provinces and territories that have remote satellite served communities. Because Nunavut has no roads, it is the only jurisdiction in Canada that relies completely on satellite connections - the most expensive way to send signals from place to place.
NBDC aims to access the subsidized bandwidth in order to provide more bandwidth at affordable rates to each community than originally intended in a business plan prepared 5 months ago.
Last June, NBDC developed and submitted a comprehensive plan to Industry Canada's BRAND program for connecting every community. NBDC hopes to hear if their business plan is approved in the next few weeks. If approved, NBDC would orchestrate a substantial upgrade to the ground station capacity, and the connections within communities, so that every person, business and organization would have the opportunity to connect to broadband at a price comparable to southern rates.
For more information contact:
Lorraine Thomas, Project Manager www.nunavut-broadband.ca
Ph. (867) 979-1303, fax (867) 979-1508 email: lorraine@nunanet.com