The Rural Voice, 2003-07, Page 50AgriTech
Working for better connections
Janice
Becker is a
computer
enthusiast
and
journalist
living near
Walton, ON.
When we talk about the internet, it
is sometimes presumed that everyone
has great connections and good
accessibility to the service. However,
such is not the case in many rural
areas.
When my family first moved to
rural Huron County, one of the first
orders of business was to switch from
a party line to a private phone line, at
that time, simply for the use of an
answering machine though it was
also essential for the internet hook-up
we eventually purchased. However,
dial-up phone systems can be slow
and speed and capacity are essential
for many uses.
Sure, town and village residents
have access to cable hook-ups and
satellite connections can download
quickly, but uploading still requires a
:and link, so what is to be done?
Fortunately, for internet users in
Huron and Perth Counties there is a
consortium of agencies, groups and
municipalities working to provide
broadband, high-speed connections.
In the first of two projects the
group is working to offer this service
to all areas of Huron and Perth —
though 95 per cent coverage
expected, said consultant Brock
Vodden, who has been working on
the project for several months, "Some
will just not work due to location or
obstruction."
Homes will have a radio unit
installed to receive the wireless
service and communities which have
"line of sight" difficulties could
receive a microcell to transmit signals
past obstructions.
Supported at a rate of 50 per cent
for capital costs by Industry Canada's
Broadband for Rural and Northern
Development (BRAND), the Huron -
Perth consortium is in the final stages
of getting an agreement with a
service provider. "It is a remarkable
deal," said Vodden, referring to the
relatively low cost to install, monthly
service fees and range of services.
Once approval is received from the
government for the initiative, Vodden
hopes construction will begin this fall
with the first connections made
within two to three months.
The second project is the Connect
Ontario program through the Ministry
of Enterprise, Opportunity and
Innovation to provide information
and communication technology
infrastructure for rural communities.
While BRAND is the highway,
Connect Ontario is the content and
services for a community information
network.
The major aspect will be the
creation of a community portal
through which anyone searching for
Huron or Perth material will be led.
From there, visitors can take a tour of
the two counties, learn what they
have to offer, discover products
produced, visit business sites, find
out about community organizations
and view a host of other data.
Services will include e -government,
e -health, e -learning, tourism
development and economic
development, said Vodden. This will
allow businesses, organizations or
municipalities that find the individual
costs of interne[ visibility too
daunting an opportunity to get
connected. The centralized server and
software needs will help keep costs
down while still offering many
services to clients.
Vodden sees the development of
the portal as a very interactive site,
allowing surfers to select preferences
for material viewed.
E -learning capabilities may help
business owners provide training for
employees without the high cost of
distant courses.
Vodden sees these undertakings as
significant as the railroad, hydro and
phones were 100 years ago. "It is up
to the communities to decide how it
will be used."
Similar projects, underway in most
regions of Ontario, are in various
stages of completion.
Contact me at
Janice@northhuron.on.ca or through
The Rural Voice office, with
feedback or topic suggestions.°
The Rural Voice
welcomes your opinions for
our Feedback letters to the
editor column.
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