Over $70 million invested in Nova Scotia to deliver FibreOPTM service to 190,000 homes and businesses
Halifax, NS – Bell Aliant, with the support of the Government of Nova Scotia, today announced a $55 million investment to expand FibreOPTM, its world-class fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network, to approximately 160,000 homes and businesses in the Halifax Regional Municipality.
The FTTH network for Nova Scotia was introduced last spring with Bell Aliant's $15 million investment to launch FibreOP services first in Sydney. This brings the total FTTH investment in Nova Scotia to over $70 million to serve approximately 190,000 homes and businesses.
"The response to our FibreOP service has been outstanding, and we're pleased to now expand this network to customers in our largest and most competitive market," said Karen Sheriff, President and CEO, Bell Aliant. "Giving our customers access to the most advanced technology available not only serves their communication needs today, but ensures they are ready for whatever the future holds. We know that the demand for bandwidth will only continue to grow, and we'll be ready."
The Government of Nova Scotia contributed $2 million to the project to help ensure economic development opportunities for Nova Scotia with leading edge technology infrastructure.
"To ensure Nova Scotia's economy continues to grow, the province needs to remain competitive in the global economy," said Premier Darrell Dexter. "That means making sure we have the right telecommunications infrastructure in place, right across the province. This is a significant step forward in achieving that goal."
The first in Canada to cover an entire city with fibre-to-the-home, Bell Aliant was recently recognized as the best in all of North America for innovation and leadership in FTTH deployment with the FTTXcellence Award, presented at the 2010 FTTH Conference in Las Vegas.
FibreOP Internet offers choices in speeds, including the fastest Internet available in Nova Scotia with 170 Mbps download and 30 Mbps upload service. These speeds enable customers to not only download music or movies and share video or photos faster than ever before, but also accommodate the growing need for multiple users within the home.
FibreOP TV offers a 100 per cent digital TV service including High Definition television available on all TVs, and watch and record PVR. Customers can enjoy unmatched digital picture and sound quality on over 200 video channels, 70 HD channels and 98 music channels.
FibreOP service will be available to customers in Halifax, Dartmouth, Eastern Passage, Cole Harbour, Sackville, Hammonds Plains, Waverley, Timberlea, Spryfield, Bedford, St. Margaret's Bay and Lake Echo starting in mid-2011. Customers in Sydney and Sydney River currently have FibreOP service, to be followed by Glace Bay, North Sydney, Sydney Mines and New Waterford later this year.
Customers can pre-register for FibreOP service by visiting www.bellaliant.net/fibreop or calling 1-866-FIBREOP (1-866-342-7367) and will be notified when service is available in their area.
By the end of 2012, Bell Aliant will have invested almost half a billion dollars to extend FTTH to over 600,000 homes and businesses in the areas we serve.