Aliant launches Atlantic Canada's fastest broadband connection

Fiber Optics Weekly Update, Feb 11, 2005

Aliant, Atlantic Canada's largest information and communications technology company, is launching two innovative, fiber optic-based broadband services to consumers: 10 Megabit Internet service and Atlantic Canada's first Fiber-to-the-Home trial.

Using fiber-optic technology, Aliant can now deliver a 10 Megabit Internet service--one of the fastest broadband connection speeds in Canada--to apartment building residents. By July, approximately 30 apartment buildings in the Halifax Regional Municipality will be equipped for fiber-delivered Internet. Aliant High Speed Ultra customers living in these buildings will enjoy the 10 Megabit download speed, giving them an even better online experience, whether they are playing online video games, downloading music, surfing the Web, emailing, or sharing files and pictures with friends and family.

To further test the capabilities of fiber technology, Aliant is also conducting Atlantic Canada's first Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) trial. Thirty-two participants in the Royale Hemlocks community in Bedford, Nova Scotia, will take part in the 12-month trial.

For the trial, Aliant is installing a fiber-optic network that will provide more than 30 Megabits of bandwidth to individual residences. Through a combination of wired and wireless applications, trial participants will be provided with the newest and fastest Aliant service offerings, via fiber optic cable connected directly to their homes. Trial services will initially include 10 Megabit Internet, TV on my PC, Music on my PC, and Aliant Security Services (anti-virus, parental control, and personal firewall).

To receive fiber-delivered Internet, apartment buildings will be wired via a central switch that allows every data jack in the building to be pre-wired for high-speed Internet while delivering dedicated bandwidth to each individual unit. This network design removes the need for a modem, giving tenants the convenience to move their computer around their apartment and to log on to the Internet in any room with a data jack using an Ethernet cord.

As development on new Internet Protocol (IP)-based applications such as video and Voice over IP (VoIP) progress, Aliant will add these to its suite of products and services available over fiber.