Attention Summer Students! Now hiring students for summer 2024. Find your summer job here.
FSET says a project to connect First Nations in the far north to the Starlink system is about 75 percent complete.
Nicole Brown is the Chief Operating Officer of the Kenora-based company and says they are working with the Nishinawbe Aski Nation to bring internet service to their member communities.
“Starlink is an immediate way of getting broadband, high-speed internet, into remote communities,” says Brown.
“That is why it was originally intended and designed. So the use case for northwestern Ontario is ideal for Starlink products.”
Brown says COVID showed there were definite gaps for internet service in the region and they are working to address those.
“The entire intent is to to reduce the digital divide. So COVID had really highlighted the extreme lack of resources and this project is really about levelling that playing field and bringing equity when it comes to digital tools.”
Brown says they have connected about a thousand homes, schools, and educational agencies in 31 northern communities that belong to NAN.