Rural Internet service in PrescottRussell could become faster and better than ever when a private-sector upgrade project gets underway.
“We have many (service) towers which will be upgraded over the next few months,” said Chris Phillips, Xplornet sales manager
along with several company officials, with
company’s Connect to Innovate project (CTI).
“CTI will allow us to expand broadband service to 38,000 households in PrescottRussell and Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry,” explained Steve Van Groningen, corporate
Internet service company, which specializes in serving rural areas, “There will be an overall improvement in speed and capacity
CTI is a $24 million expansion project for
million of its own funds and the federal
its rural broadband improvement program
- metres of hybrid fibre-optic line throughout
cell tower booster stations, and installing or upgrading 32 main towers.
When complete, Van Groningen noted, all 38,000 rural households in Prescott-Russell
have faster Internet access service, with
second downloading time.
support for Xplornet’s CTI proposal helped the company get federal investment in the
support for rights-of-way access, to speed up project construction when it begins later in the year.
Alfred-Plantagenet Township Mayor
upgraded Internet service would cost households. He noted that some rural homeowners have limited budgeting flexibility and might
groceries over better Internet access.
Van Groningen indicated the company
to the councils for all eight municipalities in Prescott-Russell, on details of the CTI project.