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HomeMy Public PortalAbout2019-04-30_MR_TNC Project_FINAL MEDIA RELEASE MUNICIPALITY OF CHESTER – The Municipality of Chester (MOC) has invested $150,000 to secure seven tower sites as part of a federally led Connect to Innovate wireless broadband internet project spanning the Municipality of Chester, Municipality of Lunenburg and the Region of Queens. When completed, internet service provider TNC Wireless Ltd. will offer high-speed, wireless internet packages to 3,782 eligible households in MOC at rates of between 5 and 10 Mbps download speed, which is up to 85% higher than the current service at the p roposed sites. Construction and installations will begin as early as September 2019 with the placement of a main network site in the Chester Basin area. Following that, three towers will be erected in Dauphinees, Nine Mile Lake and Seffernville by December 2019. The final three towers in Camp Lake, the Forties, and Christie Lake will be in place by September 2020. Funding for this leg of the project will fall under a contribution agreement between MOC, with an investment of $150,000, TNC Wireless, covering all costs associated with customer equipment, and the Federal Government, contributing 75% of infrastructure costs through their Connect to Innovate Fund. “We are pleased to contribute funding to this Connect to Innovate Project with TNC and provide residents struggling with poor internet service a measure of relief,” says Allen Webber, Warden for the Municipality of Chester. “Internet has become a necessity for many, and without adequate service, residents and businesses are at a disadvantage.” More broadly, Develop Nova Scotia has been tasked with making reliable rural internet more accessible to Nova Scotians. They are currently reviewing submissions from service providers on how to make that happen using 25 Mbps download speed as a minimum standard. TNC Wireless is offering their project as an interim solution to help residents until Develop Nova Scotia is in a position to implement their strategic plan. Once that occurs, TNC intends to apply for additional funding to increase speeds. DATE: April 30, 2019 SUBJECT: MUNICIPALITY OF CHESTER SEEKS TO IMPROVE INTERNET SERVICES STATUS: PUBLIC: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 2 Media Release/TNC Wireless Project For more information, please contact Erin Lowe, Economic Development Officer, at elowe@chester.ca or 902-275-4138. CONTACT INFORMATION List contacts here. Our spokespersons are: Allen Webber, Warden Desk 902-275-4145 Cell 902-275-8373 awebber@chester.ca Erin Lowe, Economic Development Officer Desk 902-275-4138 Cell 902-277-1174 elowe@chester.ca Murray Caines, President/CEO TNC Wireless Ltd. Phone 709-638-3000 mcaines@hitechcom.ca