The Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) Network has announced the list of pre-qualified service providers who are eligible to participate in the next stage of the procurement process for the project. SWIFT’s procurement process will invest nearly $300 million to extend and expand access to broadband by delivering fibre optic coverage to over 350 communities and 3.5 million people across Southwestern Ontario, as well as Caledon, Orillia and Niagara Region.
Pre-qualified service providers include:
- BH Telecom Corp.
- Bluewater Regional Networks Inc.
- Brant Municipal Enterprises Inc.
- Brooke Telecom Co-operative Ltd.
- Cogeco Connexion Inc.
- Distributel Communications Limited
- Entegrus
- Execulink Telecom Inc.
- Frontline 360 Inc.
- GB TEL Incorporated
- HCE Telecom
- Lakeland Energy Ltd.
- Rogers Communications Canada Inc.
- Silo Wireless Inc.
- TekSavvy Solutions Inc.
- TeraGo Networks Inc.
- The North Frontenac Telephone Company Corp.
- Vianet Inc.
- Xplornet Communications Inc.
Several additional service providers were conditionally qualified and SWIFT will be inviting these conditionally qualified service providers to provide additional information in order to work toward qualifying to progress to the next stage in the procurement process. Conditionally qualified service providers include:
- Bell Canada
- Bruce Telecom
- Eastlink
- Hydro One Telecom Inc.
- Nexicom Inc.
- North Frontenac Telephone Company, Elgin Corp.
- Niagara Regional Broadband Network Limited
- Zayo Group LLC
“We are very pleased with the response we received to our request for pre-qualification,” said SWIFT Board Chair Gerry Marshall. “Our goal of fostering greater competition across the region is well underway. This is a significant milestone for the project and we’re well on track to keep moving forward as we work to connect everyone that lives, works, and plays in our region to affordable, ultra-high-speed connectivity.”
“We were pleased to see such a strong response from service providers, ranging from established companies to potential new entrants to the regional connectivity market,” said SWIFT Executive Director Geoff Hogan. “We look forward to working with these qualified service providers as we advance to the next stage in the procurement process.”
The SWIFT Initiative is based on the principle that everyone deserves access to high-speed Internet, regardless of the size of their community, their age, education, or where they work. SWIFT will build an affordable, open-access, ultra-high-speed fibre-optic regional broadband network for everyone in Southwestern Ontario, Caledon and Niagara Region. In addition to leadership from the county members of the Western Ontario Warden’s Caucus and investment from the federal and provincial governments, the Region of Niagara, Town of Caledon, City of Orillia, and the Region of Waterloo are also supporting the project. Non-municipal members include Grey Bruce Health Services, Georgian College, Connecting Windsor-Essex (CW-E) and the Stratford Economic Enterprise Development Corporation. First Nations supporters include the Southern First Nations Secretariat, the Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation, the Chippewas of the Thames First Nation and Walpole Island First Nation.
SWIFT launched the first stage in its procurement process on May 12, 2017 by releasing a two-stage Request for Pre-Qualification Process. For more information about the procurement process and to stay up to date on how SWIFT will build broadband for everyone in Southwestern Ontario, Caledon, and Niagara Region, please visit www.swiftruralbroadband.ca.
SWIFT is currently requesting information from users across the region about their current Internet service. To complete the survey, please visit www.swiftruralbraodband.ca/survey
