Residents of Winterbourne will soon have access to a fibre optic Internet service. Avetria Networks, a local wireless Internet provider, is working to install about 10 km worth of fibre in the village that will provide a high-speed connection to about 125 homes, as well as the Foundation Christian private school.
“Essentially we’re bringing in bulk Internet,” explained Avetria owner Arnold Stoll. “We’re starting on the Christian school here, and we’re providing them with free Internet. From there we’re heading out to the first two subdivisions which is Meadowbrook and the other subdivision … which is Sunset.”
The network is being planned in two phases. The first phase will be to connect about 62 homes, mostly in Meadowbrook and Sunset via an underground network. The second phase will be to connect the remaining homes in the village via the hydro poles. This is because, unlike the older neighbourhoods in Winterbourne, Meadowbrook and Sunset are not connected to the electrical grid with hydro poles, but through underground connections.
“Phase one, we want to be completed – as long as Mother Nature works with us – by the end of April,” said Stoll.
The timing for the second phase of the project, though, is harder to predict, he adds, as Avetria will be working with Waterloo North Hydro to install the fibre optics along the hydro poles.
Stoll is offering to install the fibre access to the Winterbourne homes for free, and explains that the only cost to homeowners will be if they choose to subscribe to the fibre service. Even if they decide not to, by installing the access points in the homes now, residents will still have the option to sign up for the fibre service at a later date whenever they like.
Currently, Winterbourne residents have only wireless Internet services, says Stoll. While wireless service can be useful to provide Internet to remote communities, they are often severely limited in both speed and reliability. By contrast, fibre optic connections are generally immune to weather interference, and are much faster too.
“The other thing too is delivering wireless Internet is traditionally more expensive than delivering fibre,” added Stoll.
To provide the fibre service, Avetria is partnering with the Foundation Christian School, which has an unused fibre optic connection already in place. Stoll explains that the building used to be a public school, and was funded by the government to receive its own fibre service. The connection is still in place, and Avetria will use that latent network to help connect the other homes in the village. In return, the school will receive free service.
“We’ve been wanting that as a school for some time, so we’re just really excited to be able to partner with Avetria and help be a part of that,” said Matt Robinson, Foundation Christian School principal.
“And, of course, as a school … in the 21st century, to have reliable high speed is something that’s going to really benefit our students. So we’re excited to be a part of that and help bring it to the community.”
Stoll is currently focussing on connecting Winterbourne with a high-speed connection, but said he was definitely interested in extending the service to more communities in the region.
