Soccer Fields Under Development

Volunteers offered time, talent and muscle-power when they appeared over the weekend at the site of two new soccer fields on the east side of Provost. Water lines were laid for underground sprinklers (above) and welding of pipe for fencing were a couple of the activities underway all day Saturday. ©Provost News Photos.
More pictures in September 10 edition of The Provost News.
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Work Begins for High Capacity Bandwidth
• Fibre Optic Cable Project to bring Network to 88 Communities

A new system now being constructed in East Central Alberta will provide access to high capacity bandwidth to send electronic files.

Alberta SuperNet will link 88 communities including Altario, Amisk, Edgerton, Bodo, Cadogan, Hardisty, Chauvin, Provost, Veteran, Consort, Hughenden and Czar.

Bell West Corporate Communications spokesman Jamie McNaul told The News in a phone interview from his Calgary office that the completion target is mid 2004. He said that for competitive marketplace reasons, he would not state how much money is being spent on the east central Alberta project that will supply bandwidth that exceeds the Internet.

Alberta SuperNet is a Government of Alberta initiative to build a broadband network linking 4,700 libraries, schools, hospitals and provincial government offices in 422 communities province-wide.

In addition, commercial Internet service providers in areas which do not have high-speed connectivity will be able to access Alberta SuperNet at current market rates, bringing competitive broadband services to most Alberta businesses and residences, whether they are in rural or urban areas.

Bell West has teamed up with Northern Fiber to connect the communities that McNaul says is “more than high speed Internet access.” He says that with the high capacity bandwidth that videoconferencing could take place between a teacher and schools connected to it. Or another example of its use could be sending X-ray or MRI files between hospitals—something he says can’t be done now over the Internet. “It’s much more robust and has more capacity.” Large files, McNaul says, will move on this network in seconds. “You could go several times faster than some of the current high speed internet” speeds.
Costs for the new service will range from $240.50 up to $850 per month depending on type of service taken.

Bell West Inc. and Northern Fiber Inc. say that construction of fibre-optic cable is now underway between Edmonton, Sherwood Park, Camrose, Vegreville, Vermilion, Lloydminster and Wainwright.

Bell, prime contractor for Alberta SuperNet, has hired Northern Fiber to complete the 525-kilometre section. Bell will use the fibre to connect the communities for Alberta SuperNet and Bell’s growing base of business customers.

Print version of story in September 10 edition of The Provost News.
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