Xplornet wins internet contract

The Eastern Ontario Warden’s Caucus (EOWC) as part of its $170 million regional broadband project, has awarded a contract to Barrett Xplore Inc., through its Xplornet brand, to provide broadband access via satellite to residents across eastern Ontario.
Monday, Jan. 24, Barrett Xplore Inc. began offering residents an up to 1.5 Mbps package for $69.99 per month with an upfront one‐time cost beginning at $99 – depending on contract length.

The EOWC, in a press release, says residents will benefit from new technologies as the Barrett network evolves. Starting in 2012, Barrett’s new 4G network will be available in the EOWC region.
“This network will use High‐Throughput Satellites that will be capable of speeds up to 25 Mbps, and will offer even better value for end‐consumers,” the release states. “Xplornet satellite customers who sign up for this new offer will have the option in 2012 to upgrade to the new 4G network.”
At the same time, EOWC’s work on an ultra high‐speed, fibre optic telecommunications grid for Eastern Ontario is continuing on schedule.

“Today’s announcement,” said J. Murray Jones, Chair of the EOWC Inc., “is a major step forward in the creation of our new ultra high‐speed broadband network we call EORN (Eastern Ontario Regional Network). The availability of affordable, high‐speed internet services via satellite has been one of our key goals; particularly for those homes and businesses where the only other option was dial‐up. We think the monthly savings of some
$50 combined with the $199 reduction in upfront costs means good value for everyone.”

“With this first EOWC broadband deployment, the wait for affordable broadband for many eastern Ontarians is over,” says John Maduri, CEO of Barrett Xplore. “With the new lower prices and reduced up‐front costs for new customers we think that there will be significant interest across the region. There is nothing more exciting to us than to work with local agencies that are committed to making affordable rural broadband a reality. The Wardens in Eastern Ontario deserve tremendous credit for what they have accomplished,” said Maduri.

“This is an exciting day for us,” said mayor Peter Mertens. “ Working with Barrett Xplore to launch these satellite services helps us ensure that residents and businesses who live and work in our communities, especially those in the most rural areas, will get access to high speed internet at more affordable prices, which is vital for our local economy.”

BACKGROUND
• The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) is the Caucus’ new high‐speed, high‐capacity broadband network that will bring high‐speed Internet access to an area of more than 50,000 square kilometers (about the size of Nova Scotia). Satellite is one of the service options.
• The EOWC region extends from Northumberland County and the City of Kawartha Lakes in the west to the Quebec border, and north through Renfrew County, but excludes the City of Ottawa.
• The governments of Canada and Ontario will jointly provide two‐thirds of the total eligible costs of the project, to a maximum combined contribution of $110 million or $55 million each toward the $170 million cost of EORN. For more details on the network visit www.eorn.ca .
• The Eastern Ontario Warden’s Caucus Inc. represents more than one million people and thousands of businesses across the 11 counties and two single tier municipalities that make up Eastern Ontario. For more information about the caucus visit www.eowc.org