Eeyou Communications Networks (ECN) is a fibre-optic telecommunications
utility that can provide a complete range of services and capable of expansion
for the future. It is designed to meet today's needs and tomorrow's requirements.
The built-in advantage to the ECN lies not only in its ability to do more
than existing telephony system: it is also in its capacity to expand and
scale to meet the needs for the development of northern Quebec.
As the North opens up to economic development, its potential should not be limited by dated capacity standards. Spending on infrastructure technology targeted to the next generation of technology rather than only for today's remedial upkeep, is an investment in tomorrow. As a region, Eeyou Istchee/James Bay has the necessary elements for success. The ECN network can serve as a global green-field for future development and for modern technologies implementation. With this broadband fibre network:
- Governments of Canada and Québec can have capacity to experiment in the delivery of services, creating an e-government projects in an area free from pre-existing conditions and at minimal cost;
- School Boards and educational services will have additional capability to bring post-secondary education with remote classrooms at no extra cost; specialized secondary education in mathematics and science will become possible without relocating existing teaching assets
- Health and Social Services and the governments and other medical services can develop unique Tele-Health delivery projects that can serve the greater health community
- Councils, CRA, and the CRÉ-BJ will be able to hold tele-meetings in real time without travel.
- James Bay municipalities including non-Native communities (Chibougamau, Chapais, Quevillon, Radisson and Matagami) will have equal access to network services and facilities.
- Any number of simultaneous transmissions at the same time means that
every client can conduct its operations free of concern that there are
limitations on the system.
ECN is more than the delivery of telecommunications services. It is new technology with a social dimension. It is also about employment, about creating technical and management jobs. ECN means new jobs and new types of employment in the communities: computer engineering, LAN and networking management, software development, language development programming, entrepreneurial opportunities for new business, support services and an avenue for experimental services and pilot projects.
Eeyou Istchee and the James Bay region is an excellent environment for
this project and ready for development. It has solid roots necessary for
this network to operate efficiently, effectively and economically. The
important Agreement concerning a New Relationship between Hydro-Québec/SEBJ
and the Crees of Eeyou Istchee created a framework for an outlook based
on mutual respect, good faith, reconciliation, partnership, meaningful
participation and mutually beneficial economic and social arrangements.
In particular, Hydro-Québec and SEBJ have agreed to facilitate
the participation of the James Bay Crees in hydroelectric development
through partnership, employment and contracts. It will also be a centre
of excellence, teaching and training young Crees and residents of the
region in technology skills.
Technology and inter-community commerce are not new to the Cree communities.
On their own, they tackled many of these advanced issues: Internet technology
in Wemindji over 10 years ago; cable Internet in Chisasibi in 1998 and
today the only community with a community-owned high-speed service; regional
radio networking by satellite in 1985; and Air Creebec brought inter-community
transportation to a daily service and is today Quebec's second largest
regional airline. In the Jamesiens communities, ECN will enhance and diversify
telecommunications services.
The single strongest benefit of the ECN fibre network for all of Quebec and Canada is in its expandability and scalability to meet actual and future needs, simultaneously benefiting the development of the Quebec North and the economy of our society. The limited capacity of the current infrastructure is an upgrade of historic technology, based on business models designed and optimized for higher density areas such as urban centres. These structures do not allow for new technology employment in the regions and in the communities. ECN business plan is based on the specifics of the region.
ECN proposes to deliver the same quality services available in large urban centres, to offer sufficient capacity (bandwidth) and expandability for health, education services, for new generation mobile and video services and for high-speed Internet for public and commercial use. The proposed 1,400 Km Network (that will expand to 2400 km) is designed to serve the Cree entities and facilities in the nine Cree communities and five James Bay communities with connectivity to St. Felicien for access to global networks and service providers, Government services networks and scientific & educational networks.
It is a broadband system of 2.5 to 10 Gigabit/Sec. supporting voice, video and data. With the unique caracteristics of the region, the network topology will deploy a broadband fiber optic network with fiber on spans of 100 to 275 km without signal regeneration, This is a significant breakthrough in technology to support such bandwidth. ECN achieved these limits by developing new approaches in all aspects: technology, financial, business, legal sructures and partnerships making this ECN project a showcase for developing regions addressing the digital divide.