Slate Falls begins to install IP phones in community homes
Slate Falls residents are finally getting telephones installed throughout their community.
Working with Windigo First Nations Council and Keewaytinook Okimakanak's K-Net Services, Slate Falls recently completed construction of their local cable plant that includes the cable connections to every building in their community. Funding for this construction project was obtained from Industry Canada's FedNor and BRAND programs, INAC and the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund. Blair Electronics did the construction work. The connection outside the community is completed through a satellite link to Sioux Lookout which is made possible through Industry Canada's National Satellite Initiative, Keewaytinook Okimakanak's earthstation in Sioux Lookout and the partners involved with the Northern Indigenous Community Satellite Network (NICSN).
This past week, working with their K-Net partners, the Asterick IP phone management system was successfully installed in the community and training of a local technician took place to manage their own phone system. This week, new phones are now being installed in some of the buildings and further training is taking place.
Along with the IP phone system, high speed data connections are available for each of the buildings in the community. Video conferencing services that also includes telehealth applications are also now in place in Slate Falls.