District of Sparwood - High Speed Internet

Sparwood Community Network (SCN)

Fiber Optic Backbone

Sparwood is fulfilling part of their vision of “Honouring the past and creating the future”.

Since the latter part of 2001, the District has invested approximately $800,000 in a state of the art fiber optic backbone infrastructure that is intended to improve municipal communications, education; health care and also expand and diversify our economy.

Sparwood has constructed the open access underground fiber optic network and currently provides 100 megabyte full duplex service over single mode optical fibers. The backbone runs approximately 4.5 km from the municipal office Networks Operation Centre down Spruce Avenue, over to and down Pine Avenue to the end of Douglas Fir Road.

The schools are connected and this will undoubtedly improve access to a broader range of education possibilities. It will also enable our youth to maximize their exposure to the newer technology and allow them to demonstrate their skills and the benefits of the technology to the remainder of the community and ultimately assist our economic expansion and diversification.

The fiber now links all municipal departments to the main office over a 100 megabyte full duplex single mode optical fiber, using PacketFront gear configured with layer 2 services.

The District of Sparwood does not provide services directly to the end users but allows service providers to resell services including high-speed internet and dark fiber connectivity between offices within the community.

This service can be compared to roads or rail at the beginning of the last century. The initial investment to create the infrastructure is made with public dollars and over time businesses develop and take advantage of the infrastructure created. In this case, service providers pay a fee to the District of Sparwood for the use of the Fiber Backbone and the fee supports the maintenance of the infrastructure.

This new service is progressing and will adapt as technologies change. Services on the fiber are currently available to those businesses along the backbone with high-speed data & communication requirements and will be expanded as necessary.