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2009-09-18 -The Pictou News - High-speed Internet coming to Pictou County

The Pictou News

LYONS BROOK – An Internet provider in the process of supplying the furthest reaches of Nova Scotia’s heartland with broadband, gave a status update to rural Pictou County citizens last night.

Adam Conter, spokesman for Seaside High Speed, said construction of four towers, on Fitzpatrick Mountain, in Toney River, Scotch Hill and Malagash, are complete and radio frequency gear is expected to be added within the next 10 days.

Basically, Conter said, the area serviced by the four towers will be able to access high speed Internet within three to four weeks. “Our job, and our goal is to get to all rural residents. So those who made the choice not to live in – I call them ‘rurban’ areas, rural urban areas – who don’t have access to high speed. Our job is to supply that high speed to them.”

As part of the Broadband for Rural Nova Scotia initiative, Seaside is tasked with filling in the remaining gaps in high speed access for Nova Scotians. Conter said it’s not an easy task given the terrain in this province. “For what we’re building here, we anticipate excellent coverage, despite what we would call extreme remote situations,” he said.

“So there are areas where you’re surrounded – literally in a valley on both sides, where each side of you is quite high compared to your locations. There’s no concise way to do it. “So what we anticipate to happen fairly shortly, is rolling out to a very high percentage of coverage for our territory and then we will have to extend what we call ‘microsites,’ repeater towers where these problems have risen due to terrain, on a case-by-case basis.”

Potential customers who wish to learn more about the service may call the company’s toll free line at 1-888-965-5511 or visit seasidehighspeed.com.