Internet too slow: Civic Centre

Town administration has added its voice to those seeking faster, more reliable Internet service here.
Darryl Allan, the town’s manager of administration and finance, echoed complaints of Internet service providers (ISPs) and the local business community that Internet access–through Bell Canada–is too slow and unreliable.
“The concerns businesses have in Fort Frances in having fast, reliable Internet service we need, not only from a economic development standpoint, but for the day-to-day operations of the town,” Allan noted.
Town administration also has had difficulty with transmissions for banking transactions, research, and even office-to-office e-mail, prompting Allan to outline the problems for council at its regular meeting Monday night.
“It has certainly had an impact,” he said. “We have modems that can [work] at 33.6 kps but we are only transmitting at 5 kps.
“With our pre-authorized payment service, it requires us to transmit to CIBC one or two times a week,” he noted. “We’ve had problems connecting and also the speeds have significantly decreased.”
And with accumulating responsibilities and development, the town’s Internet needs are only going to increase.
“We have to set up a virtual Hydro network where we will be accessing software with Thunder Bay Hydro and we will require for a very stable connection,” said Allan.
“We’re entirely reliant on Bell for telecommunications here,” he added. “Our needs are not going to be any less than they are now–we are going to continue to grow.”
Councillors acknowledged the problem, which has been mentioned repeatedly in the weeks since the Bell upgrade here in March.
“We will continue pressing Bell and possibly look at other alternatives as well,” said Coun. Dave Bourgeault, who added he was frustrated after attending a meeting with Bell reps here two weeks ago.
“I’m frustrated in that to sell it, the company wants to make some money. If it’s going to happen here, they are going to bring Sympatico in and some businesses may go out of business,” he noted.
“I’m getting more frustrated because [right now] you can’t get on and once you do, you get knocked off,” Coun. Bourgeault continued. “It places us at a distinct disadvantage when you’re trying to attract business, even call centres.
“I mean that’s the first thing they look at,” he stressed.