REGINA – The government of Saskatchewan is rolling out free wireless in the business districts of its cities, which it says is Canada’s largest outdoor wireless network and the first of its kind to be supported on a provincial or state level in North America.
Basic Internet service via a WiFi network operated by the government’s Information Technology Office launched in Prince Albert today, joining Moose Jaw and Regina. It will soon roll out in Saskatoon.
Users can access the signals for free in downtown districts, wiping out the need to switch from service to service as they roam through the coverage area. The government says it will also provide free access to residents who can’t afford the monthly rates for Internet services.
The service was designed and deployed by SaskTel, and powered by Cisco Canada, using its Aironet 1500 Series outdoor mesh access points at more than 450 locations in the four cities.
The network got up and running in just a few months. The idea came from a youth summit the province held in February. “We heard loud and clear from provincial youth that connectivity and increased accessibility to technology are crucial elements in their lives,” said ITO Deputy Minister Don Wincherauk. Free wireless will also be available on college and university campuses by the time students return in September, the government says.
The Saskatchewan initiative is unique because of its scale, said David De Abreu, vice president, Cisco Canada. “To date, the trend has been to offer outdoor wireless service on a municipal level only. The Saskatchewan! Connected initiative marks another key milestone in the adoption of outdoor wireless solutions by provincial and state governments, joining Silicon Valley in the U.S., the Province of Brescia in Italy, and the island nation of Singapore.”
The capital cost of installing the network in the four centres will be $1.3 million, with annual operating costs of $339,000, the province says.
Saskatchewan wants to reinvigorate its cities and build on its drive to connect its residents—some 86% of people in the province have high-speed access, the government says.
Cisco says its Aironet 1500 series can be deployed almost anywhere, such as rooftops, light posts, and power poles, and can withstand the most severe weather conditions. With a zero-configuration deployment capability, the 1500 Series contains additional built-in intelligence so it can automatically set up and configure itself to operate within a mesh network and “self-heal” if it should lose power, which reduces maintenance and management costs.
