North Frontenac Telephone looking to expand broadband in North Frontenac

Craig Bakay | Apr 03, 2019

“We’d like to expand into North Frontenac,” Dave Smith of North Frontenac Telephone Company told North Frontenac Council at its regular meeting last Friday in Plevna.

To be clear, Smith was talking about broadband internet connections, not cell phone coverage. Cell phone expansion in the area will have to wait until EORN (Eastern Ontario Regional Network) works out a deal with the federal government.

“There could be an announcement from EORN in the next couple of months,” said Mayor Ron Higgins. “A project is shovel ready.”

“We’ve had some discussions with EORN,” said NFTC representative, Rod Stroud. “We’ve acquired a tower at 509 and 7 and can now cover about 25 per cent of North Frontenac.”

“From the west end of Kash (Lake Kashawakamak) to the 41 corridor, there’s no service and that’s our most populated area,” said Coun. Gerry Martin.

“And the Snow Road abyss,” said Coun. Fred Fowler.

“Once the tech is built, it’s relatively simple to expand,” said Stroud. “There’s an art involved.”

“We’re not going to jam up towers in areas that already have service,” said NFTC representative Bill Young.

Stroud said they plan to offer packages to seasonal residents that include things like security options for people to observe and monitor their properties while they’re away.

“We’ll offer packages that may make them want to stay connected all year,” Stroud said. “We’ll start testing live on Monday and every person that wants service will get it.

“We’ll have a look at the towers you do have and look at municipal land where we may want to put up a tower.

“I think we’re in agreement,” said Higgins. “We want it and need it.

“We’ll get the word out to the cottage associations.”

• • •

North Frontenac has 100,000 cubic metres of landfill capacity, or about 50 years (including the now inoperative Ardoch site), David Bucholtz of Cambion Inc, the company that monitors North’s landfills, told Council.

He said there’s a bit of a cloud over the province vis a vis unexpected changes to government policy, but “the government has indicated it intends to continue the extended producer responsible waste system.”

North Frontenac is part of the waste assessment session scheduled for April 17 in Glenburnie.

Coun. Fred Perry asked about the possibility of incineration.

“Of course, it’s an option — if you have the money,” Bucholtz said.