KO and Thunder Bay partners building meet-me site at Lakehead University
Keewaytinook Okimakanak's Kuhkenah Network (K-Net) is working with its partners in the Thunder Bay area to strengthen and further develop the local Nishnawbe Aski Nation wireless network and provide better online access to the First Nations.
KO and NAN are working with the Northern Ontario School of Medicine and Lakehead University, to construct a common meet-me environment where other networks across the region are able to interconnect with each other. The construction of this open access meet-me environment will support direct connections between NOSM, Lakehead University, Confederation College and other networks directly to the First Nations and their organizations who are presently being served by the Kuhkenah Network.
In January 2006, Keewaytinook Okimakanak received funding from Industry Canada's FedNor program to construct this common meet-me site. The work also involves laying fibre optic cable at Lakehead University to connect the Regional Hospital and others to this meet-me site. The upgrade to the NAN wireless network will support video conferencing services as well as additional local organizations to be able to reach First Nations across the region.
Visit the project web site at http://www.research.knet.ca/meet_me/home for more information.
K-Net is a managed network that provides broadband connectivity services supporting applications such as video conferencing, IP telephony and internet data. The network supports Quality of Service (QOS) so the different type of traffic (video, voice or data) can be prioritized. It is an alternative to the public internet that only provides a shared environment. K-Net is able to provide users with the bandwidth required to deliver a variety of applications (for example telehealth and e-learning opportunities), between local service agencies and remote Aboriginal communities and organizations.