TELUS and the Government of B.C. have negotiated an agreement to bring high speed, affordable Internet services to British Columbians.
TELUS will upgrade network facilities in designated remote communities to enable local internet service providers (ISPs) to make the last-mile connection, and provide high speed Internet to homes, business, schools and hospitals.
We are actively looking for ISPs and Community Providers to deliver last mile connectivity in these small communities. Eligible ISPs will be able to acquire these services at very attractive prices developed in consideration of the population base of these small communities. In certain circumstances, ISPs will also be able to obtain assistance for the cost to connect to the TELUS central office.
In order to assist community champions in preparing to apply to become an eligible local or regional service provider we have developed the Connecting B.C. Communities Handbook and financial model for Local and Regional Internet Service Provider Applicants. The Handbook and model contain information that will guide you through the process of establishing a business plan for the communities you wish to serve.
Applicants who are interested in becoming local service providers should review the Handbook and prepare their financial model using the template provided. Interested applicants are encouraged to complete the application form and send it to the Government of B.C. via email or fax (250 952-0254). This application will help government to evaluate the eligibility of interested parties. Applications will be evaluated based on the strength of the business plan.
New communities will be connected by annual quarters. Click here to view the Connecting Communities Schedule. The Government of BC and TELUS are also interested in discussing larger projects and more universal applications at any time. In addition, ISPs or Community Providers who wish to provide last mile solutions in communities shown in the list as satellite communities can connect with NetWork BC at any time.
48 Internet Service Providers to Connect 77 B.C. Communities
The Province and TELUS have now awarded 48 organizations - ranging from First Nations groups, community-based interests and existing ISPs - as the service provider for 77 communities. TELUS will enter agreements with each to connect them to a high-speed access point at a competitive cost. In turn, the ISPs will provide local service to homes and businesses.
| Internet Service Provider | Communities Served |
| 508533 BC ltd D/B Hwy 16 Internet | Fort Fraser |
| ABC Allen Business Communications Ltd. | Bear Lake, Wells, Nazko, Hixon, McLeese Lake |
| Ahousat Community Health Services | Ahousat |
| Bamfield Anacla Wireless Internet Service Provider | Bamfield |
| BC Wireless Ltd./100 Mile NetShop Ltd. | Likely, Horsefly, Lac La Hache, Bridge Lake, 70 Mile House, Clinton |
| Burton Community Hall Association | Burton |
| Canal Flats | Canal Flats |
| Canoe Creek Indian Band | Dog Creek |
| Central Coast Communications Society | Hagensborg, Bella Coola |
| Columbia Mountain Open Network | Winlaw, Parson |
| Community Futures Development Corp of Mt. Waddington | Zeballos, Coal Harbour, Sointula |
| ComputerSmith | Forest Grove |
| Country Broadcasting | Cape Mudge |
| CP Electronics | Big Lake (Ranch), Anahim Lake, Alexis Creek, Alkali Lake |
| Cybernet Communications | Port Edward, Topley |
| East Shore Internet Society | Crawford Bay |
| Edgewood Community Internet Society | Edgewood |
| Fauquier Communication Centre Society | Fauquier |
| Gitanyow Band Council | Gitanyow (Kitwancool) |
| Gitga'at Development Corporation | Hartley Bay |
| Gitxaala Nation | Kitkatla |
| GwaiiTel Society | Masset, Port Clements, Queen Charlotte City, Sandspit, Skidegate |
| Heiltsuk Band Council | Bella Bella |
| Indigiinet Corporation/West Moberly First Nation | Moberly Lake |
| Kaslo InfoNet Society/Lardeau Valley Internet | Meadow Creek |
| Kitasoo Band Council | Klemtu (Kitasoo) |
| Ktunaxa Nation Council Society | Grasmere |
| Lake Broadcasting | Tappen, Celista |
| Lasqueti Island Internet Society | Lasqueti Island |
| Lax Kw'alaams Academy | Lax Kw'alaams (Port Simpson) |
| Lookieloo.net | Spences Bridge, Boston Bar, North Bend, Yale |
| Lytton and District Television Association | Lytton |
| Malakwa Community Association | Malakwa |
| Max Internet Technologies | Pinchi |
| Moricetown Band | Moricetown |
| NimpkishValley Communications | Woss |
| On Call Internet Services | Westwold, Gold Bridge, Pinantan Lake, Blue River |
| One Link Enterprises | Vananda |
| Twin Island Communications | Lund, Mansons Landing |
| Onewayout.net Society | Stewart |
| Red Mountain Internet Society | Silverton |
| Regional District of Kootenay Boundary | Beaverdell |
| Riondel Community Cable Video Society | Riondel |
| San Juan Enterprises | Port Renfrew |
| Sayward Valley Communications | Sayward |
| Village of Granisle | Granisle |
| Wynndel Internet Society | Wynndel |
| Yahk Area Communications Society | Yahk |
In addition, TELUS has connected customers in ten communities with ADSL service. These communities are: Denman Island, Hornby Island, Kuper Island, Lower Nicola, Mount Currie, Savona, Slocan, Thetis Island, Willow River and 150 Mile House.
The Province and TELUS will continue to engage with organizations interested in being the Internet service provider for the remaining 33 communities.
Frequently Asked Questions
THE CONNECTING COMMUNITIES AGREEMENT
1. What is the Connecting Communities Agreement (CCA)?
The CCA is an agreement between TELUS and the Government of British Columbia to bring affordable high speed Internet access to 119 of the remaining 151 unconnected communities in the province.
2. Why does the Connecting Communities Agreement (CCA) only involve 119 of the 151 communities?
Of the remaining 32 un-served communities, 29 will be connected by high speed satellite, and three are being connected as part of the federal Broadband for Rural and Northern Development program (BRAND).
3. Does this mean that TELUS will bring ADSL service to my community?
No, under the Connecting Communities Agreement, TELUS will provide high speed connections from its Central Office (CO) to the Community Point of Presence (PoP) for distribution by the eligible local Internet service provider. This agreement enables affordable open network access, service enhancement and local economic development in B.C. communities.
4. Will TELUS be able to compete with the local Internet service provider?
No, under the Connecting Communities Agreement, TELUS will not compete within the communities for like services for the term of the agreement.
5. What are the key aspects of the Connecting Communities Agreement?
- TELUS will invest approximately $110 million over the life of the agreement to aid in bringing high speed Internet and enhanced services to 119 communities in British Columbia and to enhance the IP network in the province overall.
- TELUS will provide a minimum 10 MB service to central offices in each of B.C.'s 366 communities. TELUS and the Government of BC are working together to encourage regional service providers to extend last mile service within these communities.
- TELUS is providing pricing for high-speed access based on pricing for similar services in the Lower Mainland.
- This agreement provides a stable environment for 10 years to protect the interests of entrepreneurs who want to start local access businesses.
6. What defines an eligible local Internet service provider or community organization under the agreement?
As part of the criteria, eligible organizations:
- are applying for an unserved location where there is currently no local high speed internet access;
- demonstrate knowledge and/or expertise in broadband technology, business acumen and the operational aspects of managing a service provider operation;
- demonstrate financial capacity to acquire appropriate infrastructure to provide last mile high speed Internet service to the entire community base;
- intend to be the local Internet Access Services Provider; and,
- are not an affiliate, or otherwise have equity interest to, or entered into a partnership or business alliance with, a telecommunications provider which does not meet the eligibility criteria set out above.
7. Will ISP's be able to establish connectivity between the community central office and ISP point of presence as soon as TELUS establishes connectivity to the central office?
TELUS will start provisioning the connectivity between the Community Central Offices (CO) and the ISP Point of Presence as soon as a signed contract and firm order is received from the regional ISP. Depending on the engineering and provisioning requirements, some locations may require up to 12 weeks to complete installation of the facilities required to provision the fibre based service CWAN -E-10 service.
TELUS has committed to conduct parallel builds consisting of the Core CO Backbone and the last mile access to the ISP POP, to decrease the total interval time for ISP service turn up.
8. How will the link be delivered between the TELUS Central Office and the Community Point of Presence? Will communities have the option of, say, a wireless link to their PoP?
TELUS will provide connectivity to an agreed upon demarcation point in the community, depending on the community solution.
9. How does the Connecting Communities Agreement ensure eligible local Internet service providers are available to make the last mile connection?
Financial assistance of up to $20,000 will be available to support the infrastructure build costs from the TELUS Central Office to the eligible providers' Point of Presence.
10. Under this agreement, is there additional support for last mile services?
No, under this agreement, there is no funding for last mile delivery.
However, independent of the agreement, the Province has also set up a separate $600,000 fund to help the un-served communities access last mile funding. For more information, please visit www.bc3.ca and www.fntc.info.
11. Are local service providers able to co-locate its equipment at the TELUS Central Office?
Co-location, or housing of customer premise equipment within a TELUS Central Office, will not be permitted.
12. If a community-based provider is not available to make the last mile connection in my community, what will happen?
The Government of BC and TELUS are proactively approaching the regional service provider community to attract Internet service providers for each of the 119 communities in the Connected Communities Agreement. In the event that there are communities without interested service providers, the Government of BC and TELUS would like to work with the community advocates to identify all alternatives and search for a viable solution.
13. When will the connection be into my community?
Please visit the interactive status map at http://about.TELUS.com/digitaldivide/map.html to see when your community will be connected. Or, visit http://www.network.gov.bc.ca/docs/Schedule_Community_Connections.pdf for a schedule of completion.
Connection will be through either Carrier Internet service or Carrier Wide Area Network (WAN) service.
14. What is a Carrier Internet service?
Carrier Internet Services is a single-location, routed Ethernet (E10) based service with access to the Internet.
15. What is a carrier Wide Area Network (WAN) service? And, how does it differ from carrier Internet service?
Carrier WAN is a multi-location, bridged Ethernet (E10) service where individual locations are mapped to a central hub called a Carrier Network Interface (CNI).
16. What are Ethernet based services (E10 and E100)?
E10 refers to Ethernet bandwidth capacity of 10 Mega bits per second (Mbps). Comparatively, an E100 is Ethernet bandwidth capacity of 100 Mbps, which as a result will provide greater bandwidth potential to the community. The decision as to which level of bandwidth will be provided was made by the Government of BC and TELUS based on the anticipated demands in each community.
PRICING FOR ELIGIBLE LOCAL INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDERS
16. What is the preferred pricing model under this agreement?
A unique affordability price model was developed to support a low-cost entry for service providers. The price for Carrier Internet and Carrier WAN E10 half-duplex is a flat monthly rate, depending on the population of the community. The following table outlines E10 access rates and Internet prices.
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17. Do we have to meet any obligations in order to receive preferred pricing?
Yes. To ensure Government, TELUS and communities receive a valuable, reliable and ongoing service, the local Internet service provider must agree to a multi-year contract that outlines the terms and conditions for eligibility.
18. If we want to migrate from a Carrier Internet Service to Carrier WAN service, will termination charges apply?
No, termination charges will not apply if the customer migrates from a Carrier Internet service to a Carrier WAN service with TELUS.
19. Who do I contact to for more information?
If you are an existing regional local service provider or a prospective local service provider, please contact TELUS at 1-866-663-1605.
If you are a consumer and are interested in learning about connectivity plans for your community, please check the Interactive Status map for information pertaining to your community. If you need further clarification please contact TELUS at 1-866-331-2288 (toll free).
For more information, please contact us online or by phone, 1-866-663-1605
