Province Awards Contract for HRM Broadband Provider
Every resident of Halifax Regional Municipality will have access to high-speed Internet service as a result of a $1-million contract announced by the province today, Aug. 13.
The contract with OmniGlobe Networks is part of the Broadband for Rural Nova Scotia initiative which will make Nova Scotia one of the most connected jurisdictions in North America.
OmniGlobe joins EastLink and Seaside Communications to ensure that broadband services are available in all corners of the province. The $75-million initiative is on schedule and all Nova Scotians will have high-speed access by the end of 2009.
Economic Development Minister Angus MacIsaac said OmniGlobe will provide broadband access to about 1,300 civic addresses in HRM. The addresses were not part of a separate broadband initiative by the municipality earlier this year.
"We are pleased that the unserved areas of rural HRM are now included in the Broadband for Rural Nova Scotia initiative," said Mr. MacIsaac. "OmniGlobe specializes in remote and complex Internet connections and is well suited to connect the remaining residents, businesses and agencies scattered throughout the municipality."
OmniGlobe Networks Inc. is a Canadian global telecommunications company based in Montreal. The company has wireless Internet projects in a number of countries. It has offices in the United Kingdom, Ontario and Quebec, and is expanding into British Columbia and Nova Scotia.
"OmniGlobe is looking forward to partnering with the government of Nova Scotia and welcomes this opportunity as a wonderful fit for our expertise in wireless Internet," said Jason Neale, CEO of OmniGlobe Networks. "Engineering and regulatory work will begin immediately in order to bring quality broadband service throughout rural HRM."
Although 80 per cent of Nova Scotia has broadband access, about 200,000 Nova Scotians, 93,500 dwellings and 5,600 businesses are not served with affordable, reliable high-speed access to the Internet. The Broadband for Rural Nova Scotia initiative will close this gap completely.
The cost of the initiative is being shared by the provincial and federal governments and the three service providers.
An expert evaluation team selected OmniGlobe as the successful bidder based on a combination of a number of factors including the company's experience with the proposed technology, the approach to the project based on its business model and technical expertise, the sustainability of service, and its ability to meet the desired completion date within reasonable costs.
For more information on availability of OmniGlobe Broadband in HRM go to the website, www.omniglobebroadband.com , contact the company by e-mail at info@omniglobebroadband.com or call 1-888-365-OMNI(6664).
Information about the Broadband for Rural Nova Scotia initiative and its progress, is available on the website at www.gov.ns.ca/econ/broadband .