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Project Update

June 8, 2007

The Broadband Project in Nova Scotia is about to take a major step forward. A province-wide Request for Proposals (RFP) will be issued in June 2007. The RFP will ask bidders to provide broadband service to unserved areas of the province.

The province, working in partnership with regional development authorities, has created a number of broadband zones across Nova Scotia. Grouping the province into zones helps ensure all areas are equally attractive to companies bidding on the business, and to ensure there is a solid economic case for those companies. The zones are as follows:
    Zone 1 - Cumberland (pilot project area)
    Zone 2 - Colchester, Pictou
    Zone 3 - Antigonish, Guysborough, Inverness, Richmond
    Zone 4 - Victoria, Cape Breton Regional Municipality
    Zone 5 - Lunenburg, Queens, Shelburne, Yarmouth
    Zone 6 - Digby, Annapolis, Kings, Hants
    Zone 7 - Halifax Regional Municipality

    (Note: zone number assignments are not related to timing of implementation)
For the past five months, Seaside Communications of Sydney has been working in a cluster of communities from Tidnish to Port Howe in Cumberland County. This pilot project was focused on finding a business model that is competitive, viable and secure for rural Nova Scotia. It's expected that up to 150 customers in the pilot area will have access to broadband by the pilot completion date of June 30, 2007.

One of the first customers connected in the pilot area was Rob Laceby, operator of the Amherst Shore Country Inn in Lorneville. "If we weren't able to get this (broadband) it would be harder and harder for us to compete for business," said Laceby. "We have an online reservation system and now we're more efficient in getting back to people. It also allows us to drive more people to our website where we can provide them with information on specific things related to our property."

The broadband project is on schedule and will begin expanding to other un-served areas of the province this fall. We will ensure broadband service is available to all areas of the province by the end of 2009. The goal is to make Nova Scotia the most connected area in all of North America.