Nothing’s faster than fibre

A new fibre optic network based in Radium Hot Springs will offer cutting-edge Internet services and more

The thin fibre optic threads can carry more digital information —Photo by Tanya Laing Gahr

by Tanya Laing Gahr

When it comes to technology and connectivity, the usual rule of thumb is that large corporations in the biggest cities benefit first from new advances. From there, it filters down to carriers who distribute the services to people within the city, eventually branching out to smaller nearby municipalities. It can be years before people in rural areas enjoy the same services as urban dwellers. Mark Halwa of NanoFibre Networks Inc. in Radium Hot Springs, however, is seeking to buck that trend. The revolutionary technology that leaves other forms of connectivity far behind in terms of delivery speed—including DSL, cable and high-speed wireless—will have a hub in Radium Hot Springs, which is also the first municipality in the Kootenay region to have access to the open access fibre optic network. The business was incorporated in 2006, when Halwa, Greg Deck and Hank Swartout formed a partnership when interest in a high-speed broadband open network was expressed in the Columbia Valley. The network was launched in Radium Hot Springs in July 2008. h3. Leading the way Deck, who is the mayor of Radium Hot Springs, said the choice to use the village as the starting ground for a new network was quite deliberate, based on the municipality’s population. “It’s not an accident that it happened in Radium,” said Deck. “It may be absolutely small, but it is one of the most dense communities in the region, so we were able to reach a lot more customers with a lot fewer metres of fibre here.” The population density allows the network to get off the ground at a more reasonable cost. It’s also a reflection of the success of the municipal council’s urban planning, with its focus on smart growth, that is giving Radium the advantageous edge for the new network that will eventually be extended throughout the Kootenay region. Using existing infrastructure—the utility poles that also carry phone lines to the area—NanoFibre is able to connect users through dedicated individual fibres that will provide world-class Internet and phone services—including analog and VoIP telephony—with plans for TV, medical and educational services to be available soon. The utility pole backbone will also allow the network to expand throughout the Kootenay region. “The goal is to connect as many homes as we can on the entire (existing) fibre backbone, which is 140 kilometres,” said Halwa. “There are 10,000 doors in those 140 kilometres and we believe that we can connect 59 per cent of them in 10 years.” h3. Reaching farther The network has already expanded. Halwa said Spirits Reach has been connected to the fibre network, and Invermere is coming online as well. The end-of-the-line points are currently located in Spillimacheen and Spirits Reach, and six other communities within that area are being researched in terms of infrastructure to be connected within the next few months. But there are organizations that take priority within new centres, Halwa noted: schools and medical centres will be the first in line. Halwa is putting his money where his mouth is as far as ensuring that students benefit from the network. Video tutoring will be one of the first services available on the educational network, and Halwa has said that the company will offer scholarships to local students as well. “(I’m offering) $5,000, $3,000 and $2,000 a year for the next three years to the kids who can find the most bandwidth-intensive applications to run on our network,” he said. The Columbia Valley may see added benefits for its shadow population, primarily made up of Calgarians who own second homes in the region. With the superior connectivity offered by the fibre network, more knowledge-based workers may choose to telecommute. “The normal person in Calgary, when they come to their vacation home, will have better connection than they do in their office,” said Halwa. “They may find themselves more productive in this kind of environment.” h3. Attracting lifestyle migrants In fact, the network is already attracting new residents. Halwa has been receiving calls from people who were looking to combine a rural, mountain lifestyle with first-class communication capabilities, and Radium Hot Springs was the only municipality that offered the very best of both worlds. That speaks highly for the community and the network. Deck believes the village as a whole will benefit from the projected influx. “We can bring in a whole new segment of the population: young families,” he said. “We’ve had tons of growth, but we’ve had to close our school and it’s hard to put together a little league team because all of that growth was in an older demographic. We want to get that demographic filled out again. And there’s no better group than the 25- to 45-year-old knowledge worker.” h3. Favouring fibre Fibre connectivity is far superior to other forms of connection: GREATER CONNECTIVITY ::Fibre delivers high-speed, bi-directional transmission of digital information—up to 75 per cent faster than DSL and faster than 90 per cent of current connections worldwide—of telecommunication services including Internet, TV and telephone. Because all services are delivered using the same fibre, the cost of service is also reduced. ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY ::The speed of connectivity makes telecommuting and video conferencing more effective and hassle-free than ever. As B.C. moves towards decreasing its carbon footprint, more businesses will be rewarded for lowering emissions in their operations, and reducing work-related travel will help in that regard. INCREASED PROPERTY VALUE ::“On average, a home with a fibre optic connection in the United States is worth between $3,800 and $4,500 more than the identical condominium that doesn’t have it,” said Halwa. INCREASED SECURITY ::Because service is not shared—each home or business has an individual fibre connection—not only is speed enhanced, but transferring electronic data is also safer. Educational and medical institutions, law enforcement and government agencies benefit from enhanced data encryption already.