LONDON — Regional rural broadband project SWIFT (Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology) announced Tuesday it has awarded TekSavvy Solutions a contract to build a fibre-optic network to bring high-speed Internet to the community of Delaware Nation Moravian of the Thames in southwestern Ontario, about 35 kms east of Chatham.
SWIFT is giving approximately $460,000 in funding from its municipal partners to support the project, with TekSavvy also committing $215,000 to the $675,000 joint venture, says the news release.
To be built and maintained by TekSavvy, the 14-kilometre fibre network will act as a backbone and feeder network to provide advanced broadband services to businesses, homes and community buildings within the First Nation.
“The project, once completed, will provide the community with access to modern broadband infrastructure capable of delivering Internet speed up to 1 gigabit per second and will allow Delaware Nation to act as their own Internet service provider providing services directly to their community,” said Barry Field, executive director of SWIFT, in the release. “This future-proofed technology ensures that Delaware Nation will have equitable access to fast, reliable Internet services for generations to come.”
“The fibre optic project will assist Delaware Nation by providing one-third of our community residents, businesses and our government operations with the ability to access fast, reliable high-speed broadband services,” added Delaware Nation Chief Denise Stonefish in the release. “It will also bring our community one step closer to the long-term goal of being our own Internet service provider. Most importantly, the new technology will open up the world to our youth and digitally showcase the opportunities available to them today.”
“TekSavvy has a strong focus on partnering with local groups and governments to bring high-speed Internet services to new communities in Southwestern Ontario,” said Charlie Burns, chief technology officer at TekSavvy. “We are very excited to be working with the Delaware Nation at Moraviantown and SWIFT on this initiative and look forward to continuing together as we move toward implementation this Fall.”
This newly announced project is part of SWIFT’s $209-million Southwestern Ontario broadband expansion plan.
