Businesses endorse Bell announcement But west end left out of the loop

Many area businesses are pleased by last Wednesday’s announcement by Bell promising to provide fast, up-to-date services throughout most of Rainy River District.
“This is a very good day, it’s going to move us forward,” said Geoff Gillon, community investment manager for the Rainy River Future Development Corp., which had been pushing for updated technology along with the Town of Fort Frances and a number of businesses.
Gillon said part of the problem in convincing Bell to invest in Rainy River District was that it was hard to identify how many people would subscribe because many residents had never been exposed to the services and so don’t recognize the potential uses.
“It was hard to gauge because they know it’s out there but they are not fully aware of what it can do for them,” he explained.
A profitable market became more apparent when cell phone service was provided and hundreds more people subscribed than was forecast.
Bell Ontario president Terry Mosey agreed Bell must strive to be profitable now more than ever as it competes in an open market, noting it had to ensure profit before funding the upgrades.
“We’re not at a stage any longer where we can go in and hope that people use it,” he said.
Bell has now identified the area’s potential for growth and hopes to capitalize on it as well as contribute to it.
“When Fort Frances grows, we grow,” Mosey remarked.
The Fort Frances Times was one of the businesses putting pressure on Bell for access to more up-to-date services.
Publisher and co-owner Jim Cumming said now that the changes are on the way, business will be much more expedient.
“Today we have been trying to download a 33 meg file and we’ve been knocked down three times and spent eight hours on it,” he noted. “More and more advertisements are sent electronically . . . we have to be able to receive them electronically.”
Dave Ashworth, owner of the Jam 21 Net internet services here, also was happy with last week’s announcement.
“Basically you’re increasing speed,” he noted, adding he’s now looking ahead even further and hopes access to a T1 can become more affordable for internet service providers.
The new services will be available to 84 percent of the district’s population by 2001. The only communities that will be left out will be those in the district’s west end, including Stratton, Morson, and Rainy River, which will have to continue to make do with current services.
“You’d wonder if we mean anything. It leaves a pretty sour taste in your mouth,” fumed Glen Armstrong, president of the Rainy River Chamber of Commerce.
At a Chamber of Commerce meeting there Monday night, members agreed to step up the campaign for improved services in the west end after being left out of the changes announced last week.
“It seems like we get the short end of the stick here all the time. How are we supposed to move ahead, everyone is on the information highway and we’re left to roast,” Armstrong argued.
“To the other members of the community, unfortunately, when we looked at the costs, there are challenges that we still have,” said Mosey.
“We will continue to work with cost issues in the days and the months ahead,” he pledged. “We are committed to work with the members of those communities.”
Cumming also noted he would benefit from better services to Rainy River.
“We’re still going to be restricted in Internet in our communication between here and the Rainy River Record,” said Cumming, but added he understands the costs involved and hoped both the federal and provincial governments help out.
“They would have to spend that much money again to get another 20 percent [of the population]. They would need assistance from both levels of government,” he admitted.
Bell is expected to spend $5 million for the upgrade, which will include new voice dial-up service Centrex Voice and digital data dial-up service Centrex Data, Call Answer digital answering service, ISDN MicroLink (which provides up to 128 kbps of bandwidth, allowing quick transmission of voice, data, and images simultaneously), and Megalink (a high-speed access connection for service providers, call centres, and other customers who require more bandwidth).
“This is indeed a great day for the town of Fort Frances. We are sitting very well for the 21st century,” Mayor Glenn Witherspoon said last week.
In fact, the new service will put Fort Frances ahead of International Falls, Mn., which also is struggling to improve local telecommunications.
“If we don’t have any success, we may be knocking on your door,” said International Falls Mayor Jack Murray.