GTONS What is it

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GTONS What is it ?

• Gold Trail Open Network Society (GTONS)
• Registered, not for profit organization
• Dedicated to Broadband Internet Connectivity
• Agent for School District connectivity

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GTONS Who ?

• Open membership
• Any person/agency with specific interest
• Founding members represent
• School District 74
• Open Learning Agency
• TNRD Library System
• Copper Valley Cablevision
• FN Education Council
• Initiative started by Gold Country communities

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GTONS Where ?

• 312 4th Street, Ashcroft, BC
• Phone/fax [phone]
• www.gtnet.ca

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GTONS Where ?
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GTONS Network Now
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GTONS Network Future
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GTONS When ? Why ?

• Incorporated in September 2002
• To assume technology development activities
  initiated by Gold Country Communities Society
  (GCCS)

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HISTORY Internet in this Region

• 1990 Internet? What the heck is that?
• 1995 School District 74 (SD74) develops wide
  area network
• 1996 SD74 GCCS partner to
• Seek Federal funding for public internet access
  sites (CAP Sites)
• Allow local toll-free dial-up into the SD74 Wide
  Area Network (WAN)

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HISTORY Internet in this Region

• 1998 PLNet provides fibre optic connectivity
  from SD74 to Victoria
• 1999 Partnership receives grant from OLT for a
  Regional Learning Network
• 1999 Partnership allows Copper Valley Cable to
  offer cable internet service in Ashcroft/Cache
  Creek

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HISTORY Internet in this Region

• 2000 Copper Valley partnership builds fibre
  optic network in Ashcroft and Cache Creek
  connecting schools, libraries, and government
  agencies
• 2001 Similar Fibre Optic network aggregation
  begun in Lillooet

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HISTORY Internet in this Region

• 2001 Interior Science Innovation Council
  (ISIC) provides funding to purchase fibre optic
  splicing and testing equipment
• 2002 eLearning project funded by CANARIE
• 2003 Broadband business plan development
  funded by Industry Canada

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SUCCESS is Choking Us

• Community dial-up and home use
• Computers For Schools distribution of computers
  to needy homes for SD74
• Internet traffic has increased so significantly
  that dial-up is no longer adequate for the area

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WHY GTONS ?

• Provincial and Federal agencies requested a
  regional group dedicated to broadband internet
  development
• GTONS evolved for this purpose
• History of success with technology development
  funding agencies
• Open-ended public private partnership bringing
  collective expertise to this project

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GTONS Associations

• Member - Pacific Community Network Assoc.
• Member BC Internet Assoc
• Member - BICSI
• Member CAP and BC Broadband Champions groups
• Associated with Interior Science Innovation
  Council
• Associated with Industry Canada, CANARIE, CaNet,
  BCNet, PLNet
• Associated with Telecommunities Canada, part of
  Global Community Network (United Nations)
• Direct programming with BC Open Learning Agency
• CAP management contractor

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FINANCIAL Impact to Date

• 340, 000 in CAP projects
• 300,000 in OLT grants
• 194,780 in youth employment
• 75,000 in RHT grants
• 130,000 CAP connectivity (March/03)
• 120,000 CAP connectivity (2003/04)

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FINANCIAL Impact to Date

• 285,000 CANARIE grant
• 10,000 INAC (expected)
• 15,000 ISIC
• 30,000 BRAND
• TOTAL - 1,509,780

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WHO BENEFITS ?

• The individual and the Community
• Small communities are not serviced by commercial
  interest
• Education
• Health Services
• Alternative methods of accessing information is
  required

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WHO BENEFITS ?

• Local Business
• Expand markets
• Going global
• Access supplies and information
• Compete with Urban counterparts
• Community Economic Development

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WHO BENEFITS ?

• Canada
• Fulfilling government objective of Broadband
  service for every Canadian by 2004
• GTONS is not a beneficiary, just a conduit

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WHY These Communities?

• Geographically
• Existing connections through SD74
• Need
• All communities will have equal opportunity
• Neighbouring networks already under development
• Less down time

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WHAT Happens Next ?

• Establish participation and access needs
• Determine what various partners need from and
  what they can contribute to Broadband network
• Identify opportunities for aggregation with
  corporate and government agencies
• Identify technical requirements and development
  restrictions
• Develop the Broadband Business Plan
• Present plan to Industry Canada prior to May 22