PICTOU, N.S. – The Municipality of Pictou County announced today it will build its own hybrid fibre and wireless network in order to help connect its 20,600 residents in northern Nova Scotia.
The network will be built in partnership with Rock Networks’ Nova Communications, using suppliers such as Nokia, Plexus, WesTower, i-Valley, and NCS and network design is about to begin. No construction date was announced.
The county is calling its plan an “open access network” model which will succeed “where traditional telecom models fail,” according to the press release. It has set aside $25 million for the network design and build.
“It is a self-funded revenue generating approach for rural communities that will usher in a new era of economic and social growth while attracting and keeping jobs in the community. It will also be opening up areas of innovation with Smart City and IoT capabilities,” reads the release.
This means the municipality will own the network infrastructure and it expects independent ISPs will provide broadband service to the customers.
“The High-Speed Internet Project has been the top priority of our Council for the last three years and is a major milestone for all residents and businesses in rural Pictou County,” said Pictou County Warden Robert Parker, in the release. “We, as a council, are proud to be one of the first municipal units to construct, own and control our own high-speed Internet system. This will allow individuals and businesses to live and operate almost anywhere in our rural landscape with all the communications advantages of larger urban centres.
“While the upfront expenditure is large, our council’s objective is to build a high-speed Internet system that is top quality, competitively priced, and sustainable. The network will be self-funded from internet service revenues, thus not increasing tax rates. In all, it’s a big move ahead for rural Pictou County, with improved cell service to follow not far behind,” he added.
“Municipalities across Canada are complaining about lack of funding for community projects including broadband services. The answer is within their grasp, and it is based on the Pictou County model of a community owned network,” added Rock Networks CEO Joe Hickey. “It’s time that we close the broadband gap so that rural and urban areas have the same opportunities.
The Municipality of the County of Pictou is the local government responsible for providing services to the citizens in the rural communities of Pictou County. The Municipality provides services in the areas of public works, some local roads, sewer and water, recreation, in addition to other municipal services and governance.
