Media.Knet.Ca

Slate Falls, Muskrat Dam and Koocheching First Nations, working with the Windigo First Nations Council, learned last week that they have been approved to develop a broadband connectivity solution in each of their communities. Under Industry Canada's Broadband for Rural and Northern Development (BRAND)program and FedNor, Slate Falls will be expanding their telephone system to network all the buildings in the community. Muskrat Dam will be constructing a satellite earth station to provide broadband connections throughout their community. Koocheching is planning to construct a broadband radio connection over to Sandy Lake to deliver broadband connections and services in their community.

Click here to read the announcement on the BRAND web site.

OTTAWA - Expanding use of high-speed internet connections helped e-commerce sales grow by 40 per cent last year, but web sales still accounted for only about 1 per cent of private sector operating revenues, Statistics Canada said Friday. ...

"A major factor in rising e-commerce, particularly in the private sector, is the adoption of high-speed access to the Internet," Statistics Canada said. "In 2003, two-thirds of all private companies used broadband to connect to the internet, up from 58 per cent the year before, and only 48 per cent in 2001." ...

Last year, about 34 per cent of firms had a website, up three percentage points from 2002. ...

Click here to read the entire story on CBC's web site