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THE BENEFITS of CTI HURON

The primary benefit afforded by CTI Huron is a truly future proof, scalable plan for connectivity that only FTTH can provide. Initially, speeds up to 1Gig will be offered but is only limited by the electronics deployed on the last-mile fibre that is the focus of this project.

Access to higher Internet speeds will enable the communities serviced with fibre to attract new residents and businesses, increased investment in housing as well as higher home values. From survey results, access to reliable high-speed Internet offers the opportunity to work from home, start or expand a home-based business or pursue further education opportunities were often cited as reasons for better rural access to high speed Internet. There are a number of rural businesses that operate in the areas where we are planning to deliver fibre services and the availability of improved Internet speeds will allow them to more efficiently operate, and access newer markets. Some operations will be able to expand rather than relocate away from the rural areas as well as potentially increase the employment in our area which would hopefully reverse the shrinking population trend in these rural areas. This will greatly benefit the residents and business throughout the region. Additional benefits include distance learning/healthcare, access to government websites, the next generation of agri-business allowing future investment in the agriculture economy and ensuring food security.

The base benefit of the proposed project is the improved Internet access to an estimated 3,877 homes and businesses through delivery of fibre optic networks to each customer premise. Although the immediate benefit to the community is improved Internet access this will also allow other services to be delivered to the customers in the area such as IPTV and improved telephone service. The project will replace existing copper based services and copper based infrastructure which will have the added benefit of replacing an aging telecommunications infrastructure with future proof fibre technology that is more easily scaled to future bandwidth and service offerings.

Economically we know from past projects that the installation of fibre in our community has improved property values for home owners as residents that relocate to the area demand access to modern telecommunication services. As a result of the availability of fibre based services, resident attraction is simplified since workers and businesses that are dependent on access to high speed Internet for their lively hood can confidently relocate to the area knowing they can continue to operate their business or work remotely. Existing residents also have access to improved economic opportunities through the availability of additional employment opportunities such as remote call centre jobs. Some businesses in our area completely depend on the Internet for their sales across Canada via the web through on-line stores. Access to reliable high-speed Internet means that there are more opportunities for businesses such as this to operate in the rural areas of The CTI Huron 2017 project area.

Many agricultural based businesses struggle to survive without access to high speed Internet. Our community already has a number of innovative agricultural operations such as greenhouses, seed dealers, agriculture services organizations, agricultural equipment dealers, etc. These businesses are not only vital employers in our local area they are also a vital component of the agriculture supply chain that our community depends on for continued economic growth.

Socially, high-speed Internet provides elementary and secondary school students with vital access to on-line resources for research projects and assignments. Due to declining enrollment in some rural high schools, some secondary course are only offered on-line and without reliable Internet access many students must limit the types of courses they take in preparation for University or College. Some residents are beginning to pursue on-line post-secondary studies either as a first career or in some cases as a second career after being displaced from the workforce. High-speed Internet access is vital for education at all stages especially in the knowledge economy where industries continue to evolve and skill requirements continue to grow throughout careers.

Access to many government or health care programs and resources assume reliable access to high-speed Internet including the simple act of voting in municipal elections. High-speed Internet ensures access to government resources and improves community engagement through various means.