Clarington announced that it is partnering with local Internet Service Provider (ISP) Rapid Connex to fast-track the deployment of high-speed internet to underserviced rural areas.
It said Rapid Connex approached Clarington Municipality with a robust plan, and with the help of Clarington staff, several municipally-owned sites were identified as potential tower locations to help get residents connected.
“Council has been pushing hard to get connectivity in underserviced areas, and we now have a creative plan to get it done – and quickly. This is an exciting announcement, and I hope it’s the first of many to come to help connect our rural communities. These initiatives don’t work without a real partnership and a willingness from the municipality to participate and make this initiative feasible,” said Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster.
The first phase of developing rural connectivity will see towers built at the following municipally-owned locations to ensure line of sight and a working connection:
- Tyrone Community Centre
- Kendal Community Centre
- Browsndale Community Centre
A public meeting to review the locations and seek resident input will be held this summer. If all goes well, residents could see service as early as this fall. The first phase of connection will target a speed of 25 Megabits (Mbps) per second for download and five Mbps per second for upload.
Clarington Council thanked Brimacombe and its General Manager, Mark Rutherford, who will be providing space for an additional tower, which is required to make the network feasible.
Rapid Connex said: “We are thankful that Clarington Council understands how important connectivity is for all residents. There are people living in our community who can’t work from home, or their children can’t engage in online learning due to inadequate broadband service. Rapid Connex is going to change that, starting with the first phase of this initiative.”