NAN First Nations are already world leaders in the effective use of Broadband infrastructure
From Wawataynews.ca ... Letter To the Editor in resonse to
RE: Preparing for broadband opportunities - April 14, Wawatay News
NAN First Nations world leaders in effective use of broadband
April 28, 2011 - Geordi Kakepetum, Chairman Keewaytinook Okimakanak
As Nishanwbe Aski Nation First Nations wait for the new fibre backbone to reach their communities, it is important to celebrate the fact they are operating world-class broadband applications today.
For more than 15 years, NAN First Nations have been developing innovative programs – such as telemedicine and e-learning – that are now the envy of other rural and remote communities around the world. Their effective use of these communication technologies continues to be studied and written about by Canadian and international researchers.
NAN First Nations began developing and delivering these applications before Bell Canada received public finding to upgrade its microwave network to support broadband back in 1999 and 2000.
The satellite-served First Nations built their own satellite network and partnered with like-minded Indigenous communities in northern Quebec and Manitoba to establish the Northern Indigenous Community Satellite Network (NICSN).
The core vision behind these developments by First Nations was community ownership and control of broadband infrastructure and applications. The jobs that these broadband applications (community telehealth coordinators, e-learning teachers and education, IT community technicians and others) created are important economic and social parts of every NAN First Nation.
The chiefs of Keewaytinook Okimakanak (KO) established the Kuhkenah Network (KNET) in 1994 to support the development and operation of a communications network that addressed their needs. The growth and operation of KO’s KNET is well understood by the First Nations across the region. The First Nation leaders and community members use the network daily as they conduct their business.
Everyone has experienced what it is like when the Bell network fails even for a short time and you are cut off from the Internet and even your phones.
Today, the First Nations are using all the Bell Aliant bandwidth capacity available to support their community-owned broadband applications. Bell’s microwave network is oversubscribed. First Nations are no longer able to purchase the bandwidth required to expand their broadband applications.
The existing Bell Aliant infrastructure that serves NAN First Nations is end-of-life requiring it to be upgraded or abandoned. That is one of the main reasons why KO-KNET staff partnered with Bell Aliant to ensure the fibre optic cable network project was funded by the federal and provincial governments.
The chiefs of Keewaytinook Okimakanak directed their staff to work with their partners to upgrade and improve the infrastructure that is so essential to the further development of their broadband applications.
When NAN staff were invited to work with the KO-Bell Aliant partnership in the submission of the Northwestern Ontario Broadband Expansion Initiative, it gave NAN the opportunity to use its political expertise to help move the project through the funding systems. Many people became critical partners in ensuring this project was successfully funded.
After having worked with many First Nations over the years on the development of their broadband infrastructure and applications, KO-KNET sees that there are many risks along with many potential benefits involved in the development of this project.
The risks to the First Nations involve protecting the jobs and community-owned infrastructure already in place. The benefits include being able to further develop their existing local infrastructure to best use the fibre network, if and when it arrives.
The traditional lands and resources that are required to lay the fibre optic cable must be carefully considered and respected. Communities can ensure the effective use of existing heavy equipment, gravel and sand pits, winter road right-of-ways widening and waterways to contribute to a more permanent all-weather road system.
There are many other things First Nations can do to maintain control of their existing broadband resources and ensure ownership and control of the new broadband resources that may soon be available.
Bell Aliant arrangements to use hydro poles in the First Nations make it a lot easier for them to install fibre cable. Communities can negotiate with Bell Aliant as part of the development to install community-owned fibre cable that can support the growth of community services delivery and residential and business Internet connectivity.
Transferring the ownership of the Bell Aliant tower to the First Nation is another opportunity that can be pursued by the communities.
In the resolution used to secure the funding for the fibre optic network construction project as well as in follow up resolutions, NAN chiefs directed that the work that needs to be done involves protecting what NAN First Nations already have in place.
The key consideration for the development of this project should be the OCAP principles (Ownership, Control, Access, Possess) that First Nations are applying successfully in other areas of operation, such as health and education.
How can OCAP be applied to telecommunications? This should be the guiding question as communities move forward with this project.
KO-KNET shares with many other First Nations across Canada a vision of building community ownership and control of broadband infrastructure and applications. We remain willing to offer our expertise and support to First Nations who share our vision.
Geordi Kakepetum, Chairman
Keewaytinook Okimakanak