Date: Fri, 05 Jul 2002 10:35:19 -0400
From: Pat Drummond
Organization: PDQ Web Design
To: Chris Cope <bz787@ncf.ca>
CC: Wendy Jones Levy <jonesw@tc.gc.ca>
Subject: ORCnet and CGYC

Hi Chris,

Haven't heard anything about ORCnet recently. Do you know if/when Carleton Golf & Yacht Club will get high speed internet services? We are about 300 homes between Osgoode and North Gower. I keep hearing about other communities out here getting Storm, Bell or Rogers. I've called these companies, had people promise to get answers, but they don't call back.

I keep getting calls/E-mails from business people who work from home anxious to get better service. One resident even offered to donate $1000 to put up our own tower if we could get the rest - what would that be?
--
  Pat Drummond
  PDQwebdesign.ca (613)692-5172

Here is his reply, published with his permission:

Hi Pat,

The news for Carleton Golf & Yacht is not great (yet).

Bell has a schedule to upgrade several COs (Central Office) and plans Richmond and Metcalfe this year leaving 3 for next year and possibly longer. CG&Y is serviced from the CO in Manotick, which has already been upgraded to DSL capability, but your neighbourhood is just too far away from the CO. Technology exists apparently for remote "repeaters" which would be the answer, but Bell says they won't begin deploying them until the series of CO upgrades is done - Doing the math, this suggests 2004 at the earliest.

Rogers might be a bit more hopeful, they are presently looking at upgrading some of their rural distribution to enable "Digital On Demand" DOD needs high-speed 2-way connectivity, and Rogers is looking at the next couple of years to expand their rural penetration, but so far, no details or schedule. It won't be this year however as again, Richmond is getting this year's upgrade.

So, that just leaves wireless and Storm has yet to find a tower servicing your area. Earlier today, the Corporate Services and Economic Development Committee approved 2 motions which may be a positive step. The first is to authorize staff to enter into an agreement with Telecom Ottawa for all City video/data/network communication services. This of course will need to be approved by Council, but once in place will ultimately see the creation of a fiber network to all City facilities. This means that there will be fiber backbone available in Osgoode and several other nearby communities which get us one step closer to making the business case for Storm, or another carrier to add towers there. The 2nd motion is to engage Telecom Ottawa, working with the Development department to produce a Broadband plan. By definition, this plan will make specific recommendations to the City as to where public dollars will be needed to get BB to all Ottawa residents. 05 Jul 2002

Christopher L. Cope
ccope@ncf.ca