Project Update
August 8, 2007
Nova Scotia has taken another significant step on its way to becoming the most connected area in all of North America by the end of 2009.The deadline for requests for proposals (RFP) from qualified service providers (proponents) to provide broadband Internet service to all unserved areas of Nova Scotia closed on August 7 at 2 p.m.
The six proposals received are being inventoried in terms of the scope of technologies, business models, and the approaches proposed. This will ensure that a review project team is selected with the ability to bring the appropriate types of technical, business and community level expertise to the evaluation process.
The review project team will include the broadband project leads, technical and business model experts, and provincial, federal, and community representatives. Their job will be to analyze the proposals based on the evaluation process and criteria outlined in the RFP and then to make recommendations.
The evaluation will look at the proponent's expertise and previous experience; the technical approach and sustainability of the service; the proposed business model, the costs associated with the proposal, and the ability to meet the desired completion date.
Sustainability of the technical approach is vital to ensure reliable service. Based on the province's due diligence around technology, three types of access to broadband will be used to deliver service - DSL, cable modem and fixed wireless.
- DSL is a digital subscriber loop, or line, that provides digital data transmission over local telephone wires.
- Cable modem provides access to a data signal transmitted via cable television infrastructure.
- Fixed wireless is technology that connects fixed locations with a wireless link.
It is anticipated that work in all zones will begin this fall.
The success of the pilot project has shown that sustainable reliable broadband service is possible and that the technology works. With high-speed Internet service now available in the pilot area of Cumberland County, subscriptions to the new service have been increasing steadily.
Francis and Pauline Verstraten own a dairy farm in the pilot area and the availability of broadband has made a big difference in their daily lives. Pauline says access to high-speed Internet has been just great.
"We've had Internet service for about 3 to 4 years, ever since our children started high school. But being dial-up, service was slow and we'd get error messages.”
"We signed up back in June. Right now we use it mostly for the family but we've enjoyed being able to download information that helps us make financial and management decisions for the farm."
It's not just the Verstraten's who are enjoying the better service. Pauline says people in the area are all commenting they are so happy they finally have reliable, high-speed Internet. Pauline says as far are the community is concerned, it's been "just grand!"
Cathy Pipe is a part of this same community. She is a big supporter of bringing broadband service to Nova Scotians and recognizes both the social and economic benefits. Cathy's dedication to broadband has been captured in the latest issue of Open to the World, a quarterly magazine that highlights the best of Nova Scotia.
To read her story and find out more about why access is to important to Nova Scotia, go online to the Community Spotlight at www.novascotialife.com/?q=node/190.