On the eastern shores of Georgian Bay sits the quiet rural community of Carling, Ontario. Comprised of rocky inlets, rugged
granite ridges and towering pines this Northern Ontario community has been a beloved area to live and visit for generations.
Along The Shore Lines
The residents, a mix of year-round and seasonal homes and cottages
are spread out over more than 52,000 acres of Canadian Shield. They
have established businesses to support the growing population
alongside their recreational activities and avid tourism.
Need for Better Internet:
With a history of always being left out of new technologies, Carling
Township was in need of an innovative solution to bring better broadband.
When word spread that Vianet would be bringing fibre internet to their
neighborhood, the property owners were understandably both skeptical
and hopeful. Fibre to their door was not a solution they had ever imagined
possible.
I said to the guys,
I hope you celebrate, not that your just good technicians and you did your job.
You have changed our lives!
- Gloria
Finding a Solution:
Vianet knows that creating relationships and working with local champions is
the key to solving rural broadband challenges. West Parry Sound Smart
Networks, a local volunteer group that was trying to bring better broadband
to the area approached us to help make reliable internet a reality in the region.
With this partnership alongside CENGN, an Ottawa based organization that
advances global technology innovation for the prosperity of all Canadians, we
knew it made sense to expand our network further and solve this problem.
Building the Tower:
It was clear that extending our fibre optic network through 24km of rural terrain from Parry Sound to Carling was prohibitive. With the high construction costs and low density of residents, fibre infrastructure directly to the area was simply unfeasible financially.
By creating this innovative connection, it not only gave us the required backhaul bandwidth but also provided a level of redundancy to deliver a reliable high-speed network. From this tower, Vianet installed underground fibre to the home, passing approximately 280 properties both permanent and seasonal. These homes now have access to the CRTC standard of quality 50 Mbps down and 10 Mbps up service delivering internet, IPTV and telephone.
Delivering More:
This project began with a start-up investment of $500,000, 50% invested
by Vianet and 50% by CENGN to pass the initial 100 homes in the project
area. Understanding that the challenging terrain was preventing reliable
internet for other property owners in the immediate area, Vianet continued
to invest another $250,000 to include an additional 180 residences.
Fulfilling a Dream:
Residents of Carling had limited options when it came to internet providers and struggled with having their voice heard amongst larger centres. In September 2020, Vianet connected the first customer to fibre to the home and continue to bring more residents online. This project is possible because of the persistence of one small-town Ontario community, invested partnerships and Vianet’s dedication to finding a creative solution.
