WELLINGTON COUNTY – Construction of new broadband infrastructure continues to move forward in Wellington County, as Cogeco Connexion breaks ground to bring high-speed internet service to more than 280 additional homes and businesses in the community of Eden Mills.
The ground-breaking was announced by Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) on May 6.
“SWIFT continues to move forward with its broadband expansion plans in Wellington County and across Southwestern Ontario,” said SWIFT board chair Gary McNamara.
The $976,000 high-speed broadband project is expected to be completed by August, with service fully available at that time.
“Having access to high-speed, reliable internet is essential to the economic growth and prosperity of our region,” said Wellington County Warden Kelly Linton.
“The county is pleased to be working with SWIFT to expand high speed broadband services throughout our under-serviced areas.”
Matt Wickham, Ontario vice-president and general manager for Cogeco Connexion, said his company is “thrilled to once again be partnering with SWIFT” on the project.
“This project is using a fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) solution capable of delivering speeds of up to one gigabit per second, enabling services comparable to major urban centres.
“This will concretely contribute to reducing the digital divide between urban and rural areas in Ontario, which is essential in enabling economic recovery.”
Cogeco Connexion has also begun construction of a $7.3-million fibre optic network to bring improved broadband service to more than 1,770 homes and businesses in the Centre Wellington and Guelph/Eramosa areas, including Brucedale, Centre Inn, Everton, Oustic, Simpson Corners, Shands, Spier, Belwood, Pine Meadows and Maple Leaf Acres.
That project is expected to be completed, with service fully available, by December.
Cogeco Connexion is currently working on a high-speed internet project in Eden Mills. Submitted image
In Wellington North, North Frontenac Telephone Company is completing a $2-million fibre-to-the-home project that will serve 275 households and businesses between the communities of Wallenstein and Arthur. Customers in the project area are being brought online in a phased approach, with service expected to be fully available later this month.
Ehtel Networks has completed construction of a $2.7-million high-speed network in Guelph/Eramosa and is now delivering improved broadband access to more than 670 households and businesses within the communities of Ariss, Ponsonby and Inverhaugh.
“Work is well underway in Wellington County with more residents being brought online daily,” said SWIFT executive director Barry Field.
“By the end of this year all 3,000 underserved homes and businesses, approximately 7,500 residents, located in SWIFT’s Wellington County project areas will have access to high-speed internet.”
SWIFT, in partnership with the federal and provincial governments and private sector investors, announced a combined investment of $13 million to deliver high-speed internet to more than 3,000 underserved homes and businesses within the County of Wellington.
SWIFT is a non-profit regional broadband project initiated by the Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus to subsidize the construction of high-speed broadband networks across Southwestern Ontario.
