Project Chapleau is designed to evaluate the economic and social benefits of communications technologies on rural communities.
"What began as a vision -- a critical need to create an economic recovery plan for our community -- is now a reality," said Chapleau Mayor Earle Freeborn. "Broadband access, including one of the first rural wireless mesh networks in Canada, will enable Chapleau to connect, and compete, with other communities throughout the world, positioning us as a center for innovation and change."
This reporter has a suggestion: Why don't we get these sorts of showcases wiring, say, Toronto, where they'll benefit exponentially more people?
According to industry observer Dan Jones, Mark Whitton, Nortel's VP and GM of WiMax and wireless mesh networks, says setting up such networks in rural areas is one part of Nortel's four-pronged mesh strategy. He says the company is also targeting citywide wireless deployments, campuses, and the "homeland security" market with its indoor and outdoor mesh nodes and wireless bridge equipment.
As part of this technology showcase, Chapleau will get next generation wireless mesh, optical, multimedia communications and enterprise products, using an upgraded optical network. Bell Canada and Nortel have also opened the Chapleau Innovation Centre, where residents can access and learn about new technologies.
Through the Centre they can also connect virtually with the Bell-Nortel Innovation Centre in Ottawa and the leading-edge technologies and expertise being developed there. The Chapleau Community Portal -- www.chapleau.ca -- now provides a virtual meeting place for the community and access to the global marketplace.
It reminds this reporter a lot of the FCC's Rural Wireless Community VISION Program, which was run through their Wireless Telecommunications Bureau. Basically it was created to accelerate access to advanced wireless telecommunications across rural America.
In that case -- applications for the program closed in December 2004 -- the promotional literature emphasized "access to e-commerce, e-government, telemedicine, and distance learning" as well, and how it would "translate into better jobs, more responsive government, improved health care, greater educational opportunities, and a brighter future for all Americans."
"Project Chapleau is not just about deploying technology, it is about learning from this community and about looking at new models for the provision of healthcare, education and commerce," said Michael Sabia, President and CEO of BCE and CEO of Bell Canada, echoing Project VISION's stated goals.
Over the next 14 months, Bell Canada and Nortel will work with leading researchers from Laurentian University, the University of Toronto and others to study the impact of broadband technologies and applications on the community.
Project Chapleau is working with school boards and teachers in the town to broaden their curriculum through applications and online educational initiatives.
Bill Owens, vice chairman and chief executive officer, Nortel said “we will work with researchers to better understand how technology can change the way children learn and to study the impact on province-wide programs such as math and literacy."
The delivery of health services to the area is expected to be enhanced with better collaborative tools for health practitioners and applications in disease management, with a particular focus in the area of diabetes monitoring.
Autor: David Sims
Quelle: TMCnet , 10.11.2005
