“The young people are excited about it,” said Western James Bay Telecom Network president Leo Friday. “In the evening, kids are chatting to each other through Facebook. A lot of news came out of it. Where I live in Moose Factory, I check it sometimes – I know what is going on in Moose Factory and in Attawapiskat. It’s faster than Wawatay.”
Friday said health services would be improved with the completion of the new fibre optic and wireless Western James Bay Telecom Network, officially launched Feb. 23 with the symbolic splicing of a fibre optic cable to connect the three communities of Kashechewan, Fort Albany and Attawapiskat to each other and the World Wide Web.
“People couldn’t see or access a doctor as soon as other people can do in Timmins or in Moose Factory or in any of those other big places,” Friday said. “With telemedicine … I think it will meet a lot of needs that are required in the northern communities.”
Friday said the new Internet services will benefit many other people, including those who want to pursue their high school education as well as post-secondary education.
“We haven’t had this kind of experience before or accessed these kinds of technology before,” Friday said.
“I think it’s going to make a lot of difference for the community, especially with education and also with the Internet and e-mail service people are going to access.”
Friday said the old system was difficult to use, with slow download speeds and loss of connections.
“Residents have waited a long time to access reliable high speed Internet in our three communities,” Friday said. “We’re pleased that Mushkegowuk Council, the chiefs and councils of the First Nations communities, Five Nations Energy Inc., Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, FedNor, Health Canada and Xittel have all worked together and supported this important project to make today possible.”
The $8 million fibre optic and wireless network was launched through $1.5 million in funding from Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, $500,000 from FedNor, $165,000 from Health Canada, $100,000 from Mushkegowuk Council and more than $150,000 from Attawapiskat, Kashechewan and Fort Albany.
“Mushkegowuk Council’s vision for the First Nations to own and operate an advanced fibre optic telecommunication network is now a reality thanks to the commitment, perseverance and dedication of the many First Nations, Five Nations Energy Inc. and community leaders who started this project in 2001 and, despite the challenges of securing the funding over the years, remained committed to the idea that our residents need advanced telecom services to live, learn, work and contribute in today’s society,” said Mushkegowuk Council Grand Chief Stan Louttit.
In addition to medical and education services, the new fibre optic and wireless network will provide businesses, communities, industry and the public sector with improved services in a cost effective manner as well as providing benefits from economic development opportunities in the Far North.
Western James Bay Telecom Network leases the fibre optic cable from Five Nations Energy Inc., which installed the fibre optic cable during construction of the new transmission line to the De Beers Victor diamond mine 90 kilometres west of Attawapiskat.
The local fibre distribution networks were constructed in each community in 2009 with the assistance of the local power corporations.
Wireless high speed Internet services were first introduced in Kashechewan and Fort Albany in Dec. 2009.
Since then, community members have been surfing the net at lightning speeds.
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Autor(en)/Author(s): Rick Garrick
Quelle/Source: Wawatay News, 04.03.2010
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