(Oxford County, ON) April 21, 2022 – SWIFT today announced that fast reliable internet connectivity will soon be available to 207 homes and businesses within Oxford County, as the regional broadband program marks the start of construction on a high-speed fibre-optic project that will expand broadband service within the Township of South-West Oxford.
“SWIFT is proud to partner with Execulink Telecom to bring greater connectivity to many more residents living in rural areas of Oxford County,” said Barry Field, Executive Director, SWIFT. “This high-speed fibre-optic project will further bridge the digital divide between rural and urban populations by providing additional homes and businesses along rural roadways and concession lines throughout the communities of Culloden, Delmer, and Ostrander with access to fast reliable broadband connectivity.”
“We’re delivering on our commitment to provide access to high-speed internet for rural Ontario,” said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “Building new broadband infrastructure in Oxford County will help build Ontario and strengthen rural communities by helping people stay in touch with loved ones, enabling them to access the supports they need and providing a much-needed boost to the local economy.”
Within the Township of South-West Oxford, construction is now underway to expand broadband access as Execulink Telecom breaks ground on a high-speed fibre-optic network to bring greater connectivity to 207 homes and businesses within the communities of Culloden, Delmer and Ostrander. Network construction is expected to be complete with service available to all locations within the project’s footprint by September 2022.
“This recent expansion of broadband internet service into Culloden, Delmer and Ostrander is exactly the type of infrastructure that will enhance our rural communities and ensure their viability in a growing virtual economy. We are thrilled to see these projects progress and bring internet connectivity to all residents and businesses throughout our County,” said Larry Martin Warden, Oxford County.
“We are proud to bring Fibre to more communities in Oxford County, given Oxford County is where we started and home to our head office. Our first Fibre community was Norwich in 2012 and recently we began offering Fibre in Tillsonburg in 2019, but we’ve been serving Oxford County in the telecom business for more than 115 years. Execulink provides the Internet speed and reliability that only Fibre can offer and the superior customer experience that local residents and businesses deserve,” said Ian Stevens, CEO of Execulink Telecom.
For additional information on SWIFT funded projects, please visit: www.swiftruralbroadband.ca/projects
Today’s announcement is part of SWIFT’s $268 million regional broadband expansion plan that will bring high-speed internet service to more than 63,000 homes and businesses throughout Southwestern Ontario.
Additional Information:
Oxford County Project Overview
Quick Facts:
- SWIFT, in partnership with the federal and provincial governments and private sector investors, has committed a combined investment of $10.2 million to bring high-speed internet service to more than 1,710 underserved homes and businesses within Oxford County.
- In total, SWIFT has awarded 97 contracts to support the expansion of broadband infrastructure throughout Southwestern Ontario to bring more than 63,000 homes and businesses across the region improved access to high-speed internet. Local projects are underway, with 54 projects in the construction phase and 24 projects completed.
About SWIFT
Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) is a non-profit regional broadband project initiated by the Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus to subsidize the construction of high-speed broadband networks across Southwestern Ontario, Caledon and the Niagara Region.
The project was approved for funding up to $127.4 million under the New Building Canada Fund – Small Communities Fund (NBCF-SCF), a joint federal and provincial infrastructure funding program, and leverages additional funding from municipal partners and private sector investors to bring improve access to broadband services across the region.
Media Contact:
Melissa O’Brien
[email protected]
Manager, Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology
226.256.1640