Solving Municipal Broadband – Town of Vermilion (Part 2)

When the Town of Vermilion launched its broadband network in late 2022, it introduced similar Internet speeds and services to those found in Canada’s largest cities.

Historically, the town had to rely on copper lines, coaxial cable, and the Government of Alberta’s SuperNet – which was either inaccessible to residents and/or incapable of providing the level of service needed by residents and local businesses.

And while fibre-optic networks had been laid in certain areas of the town by telecommunications companies for select organizations like banks, it was often too costly for other local businesses to undertake themselves.

In partnership with the Alberta Broadband Network and Primus Communications, the Town of Vermilion was able to deliver Gigabit speeds (and greater) to its community.

Conduits for the fibre-optic network were installed under streets, sidewalks, private yards, and public lands with little or no disruption, thanks to horizontal drilling technology.

With the infrastructure now in place, residents and local businesses can work with Primus Communications to install a ‘drop’ (i.e., physical connection to the distributed network) to access its Internet services.

Looking ahead, the Town now exceeds the CRTC’s requirements for high-speed internet (50 / 10 Megabits per second for downloading and uploading), and it is well-positioned to support its community’s diverse needs.

With exceptional broadband services, Vermilion residents can comfortably work from home and need not worry about relocating. These services are expected to attract a diverse array of stakeholders ranging from investors, developers, and entrepreneurs to the town.

Please contact DanB [at] abmunis.ca (Dan Blackburn), Senior Director of Growth & Innovation, for more information.