[Advisors] FW: First One Gigabit Service Launching in Ontario -- in Muskoka-Parry Sound!

Mon Mar 24 16:28:09 PDT 2014

It seems congratulations are in order :-) .    If I read this correctly, 
this initiative is a creature of a 5 municipality consortium meaning it 
is locally and publicly owned and controlled.

Beyond Olds, Alberta, are there other such initiatives in Canada?

Marita

On 3/24/2014 6:52 PM, Norah Fountain CH wrote:
> Dear Telecom Canada advisors and friends, I thought this release may 
> interest you and wanted to give you a first heads up. For the writers 
> and those interested in learning more on this list, please reach out 
> to the contacts on the release (as I'm going in for some surgery 
> tomorrow so won't be around.) Hope you don't mind me sending this to 
> the list. The press release goes out tomorrow via CNW. If you feel it 
> appropriate, would love it if you would share with your other 
> networks, such as our CIRA friends.
>
> *Internet connectivity just took a big step forward in Ontario.
> *
> Lakeland Networks is rolling out the first 1 Gigabit fibre service in 
> Ontario to present fibre customers in Muskoka and Almaguin starting in 
> April. A press release from Lakeland Networks is attached for your 
> information (and pasted in below for your convenience).
>
> This is a significant first and this level of fibre service is 
> considered foundational for the knowledge based economy in Ontario and 
> Canada.
>
> What does 1 Gigabit mean?
> .You could download an entire 14GB digital movie in less than two 
> minutes OR you could download hundreds of high quality digital photos 
> at the same time. In comparison, a small email uses about 2KB of data 
> while a high quality digital picture can use up to 10MB. Many 
> businesses in Muskoka today cannot email a 10MB photo (let alone a 1MB 
> photo!).
>
> There was a hint of this announcement at the One Gigabit Summit 
> recently in Gravenhurst. Now it's official and some fibre customers in 
> towns like Bracebridge will be hooked up to the fastest Internet in 
> just a matter of weeks.
>
> *For interviews about what 1 Gigabit means for our region, *contact 
> Bill Gispen or Chris Litschko (he will be travelling starting Sunday 
> so would need to be reached before then at 888-282-7711 ext 224).
>
> PRESS RELEASE with Contact info attached and pasted in below.
>
> -- 
>
> FOR RELEASE MARCH 25
>
> Lakeland Networks to offer fastest Internet in Ontario
>
> Muskoka, Ontario: Starting this spring, businesses in Muskoka and 
> Almaguin will be the first in Ontario to experience the speed and 
> advantages of 1 Gigabit (1GB) Internet service. Lakeland Networks will 
> start rolling out the blazing fast Internet as early as April to 
> present customers -- including municipalities, schools, hospitals, 
> police and business users.
>
> "This first of its kind offering gives local business an advantage in 
> a tough economic environment, while helping to attract new business 
> opportunities for the local economy," says Chris Litschko, CEO, 
> Lakeland Holding. "Everyone wins, and with Muskoka & Almaguin having 
> ease of access to the highway corridor, available real estate, and now 
> the fastest Internet, we hope that companies look to our area to host 
> their business operations or new ventures," states Litschko.
>
> Just how fast is it?
> Delivered by fibre optics, 1GB service is over 50 times faster than 
> the average data transfer speed, the average being under 20 Megabits 
> per second (Mbps). A fibre Internet connection provides the fastest 
> communications available based on light wavelengths travelling through 
> very small glass tubes for hundreds of kilometers with minimal signal 
> loss. Many separate wavelengths can all operate within one tube. With 
> these attributes, fibre is the standard for all levels of 
> communications. Lakeland is taking the lead, and has recently upgraded 
> its equipment to support this type of service offering to clients.
>
> "Lakeland Networks will be launching the Gigabit offering out to our 
> existing customers starting in April, and then continue to expand our 
> gigabit fibre to businesses as we build out infrastructure," explains 
> Bill Gispen, Manager of Lakeland Networks. Being able to offer this 
> service in one of the most beautiful parts of the province will 
> undoubtedly have a very positive effect on the overall business 
> climate for this region as it removes a technology barrier for any 
> business that depends on reliable, fast Internet to compete.
>
> Presently in Muskoka, Internet speeds can range from 'slow speed' (any 
> data transfer speed under 256 Kilobytes (KB) per second) to under 
> 20Mbps for those on some cable or existing fibre connections, which 
> are generally only available in large urban areas. To understand what 
> it means to increase Internet speed to 1Gb, it helps to think about it 
> compared to the speed of car travel.
>
> .    If an Internet speed of 20 Mbps was related to a car in Km/h, 
> your "car" would travel only 20 Km/h. With Lakeland Networks (1GB), 
> your "car" would be able to travel 1,661 Km/h. As such, an average 
> Internet speed "car" trip from Halifax to Vancouver would take over 12 
> days (non-stop). A Lakeland Networks fibre Internet Gig "car" would be 
> able to do the same trip in just over 3 hours. This changes everything 
> for business.
>
>
> Local businesses involved with video or animation or mechanical 
> diagnostics that need to exchange large files, or to download related 
> software will be able to complete these tasks at least 50 times faster 
> than before once 1GB is in place. Students will be able to interact 
> with online classes in real-time no matter how complex the material 
> being shared back and forth. Our hospitals will be able to share 
> diagnostic imaging with specialists to get answers faster than ever 
> before possible.
>
>
> About Lakeland Networks
>
> Lakeland Networks, a division of Lakeland Energy Ltd., is a subsidiary 
> of Lakeland Holding Ltd., which is owned by 5 local municipalities: 
> Bracebridge, Huntsville, Burk's Falls, Sundridge and Magnetawan. 
> Through Lakeland Holding Ltd., these municipalities also own Lakeland 
> Power Distribution Ltd. (electricity distribution) and Bracebridge 
> Generation (green waterpower electricity generation). Lakeland Energy 
> Ltd/Lakeland Networks was created to help support areas of business 
> that needed assistance, providing services which include high-speed 
> wireless internet, VoIP phone service, point-to-point networking for 
> business Internet, and full service IT and local area network and VLAN 
> extension solutions. Since 2007, Lakeland Networks has grown to own 
> over 250 kilometers of fibre to help support its mandate of creating a 
> better economic environment for business.
>
> For more information contact:
>
> Bill Gispen, Manager, Lakeland Networks        Chris Litschko, CEO, 
> Lakeland Holding Ltd.
> 888-282-7711 ext 507                    888-282-7711 ext 224
> _bgispen at lakelandenergy.com_ _cjlitschko at lakelandholding.com
> _LakelandNetworks.com
>
> Quick Facts:
> .    1GB service is over 50 times faster than the average Internet 
> speeds offered in Canada today.
> .    Muskoka-Almaguin will be the first in Ontario to access 1Gb 
> speeds (there are 1 GB fibre offerings in Calgary, Edmonton, Vancouver).
> .    A gigabit (GB) per second is equal to 1000 megabits per second 
> (Mbps).
> .    The average Internet speed offered in Muskoka-Almaguin today 
> approaches 20Mbps (the fastest in Toronto is about 50Mbps).
> .    With 1GB service, you can download an entire 14GB digital movie 
> in less than two minutes or you could download hundreds of high 
> quality digital photos at the same time. In comparison, a small email 
> uses about 2KB of data while a high quality digital picture can use up 
> to 10MB. Many businesses in Muskoka today cannot email a 10MB photo.
> .    There is no 1GB service to individual homes in Canada.
> .    Lakeland Networks has been providing the fastest fibre service 
> (of up to 100Mbps) to customers in Muskoka and Almaguin and will begin 
> delivering 1GB in April.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> ----
>
> Press release distribution on behalf of Lakeland Holding by Norah 
> Fountain, Communications Specialist
>
>
>
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>    
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