Sturgeon County, along with its private sector partner, Canadian Fiber Optics Corporation (CFOC), continues to move forward with Phase 1 of the broadband initiative. This includes fibre installation to residences and businesses along the fibre route in the southwest corner of the County.
Internet Service Providers
The following providers, Northern Lights, Clearwave, and Albertacom will have access to the County’s network. You can choose to sign up with any one of them.
Need More Information?
For more insight into the history of the project and for ongoing construction updates, visit the Broadband Strategy Page.
You can also email us with any additional questions you may have and we will provide you with more information.
Sturgeon Fibre Network Questions and Answers
Sturgeon County continues our goal to bring fibre optics to residents and businesses. The enhanced speed and reliability will allow users to utilize their internet in a much more productive way for business and personal use. The rollout will begin in the southwest portion of the county.
We know many people will have questions about the project and eligibility. Below is a list of questions and answers to help you learn more about the project.
Email us with any additional questions you may have.
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What is the purpose of this project?
To bring fast, reliable internet service to residents and businesses of the County.
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What will it cost me to have the fibre installed?
If you are on the fibre service route (Core Service Area), the County will pay for the installation. It will be up to the homeowner to decide on an internet service provider and pay the subscription fees.
If you are not on the fibre service route (Extended Service Area), you can choose to pay for the installation to your house.
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How fast will the service be?
Subscribers will see minimum speeds of 100 megabits per second (mbps).
If you wish to compare this level of service with what you currently have, you can take the CIRA Internet Performance Test, which is a quick and easy test of your Internet connection speed.
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How will the fibre be installed throughout the County?
A conduit will be installed underground using a combination of ploughing, narrow trenching and Horizontal Directional Drilling, depending on the type of terrain or obstacle encountered.
After the conduit is coupled and is one continuous run, a fibre optic line will be blown through the conduit, which will then be spliced together to create one continuous fibre optic line. Most construction will occur on County or Provincial road rights-of-way, only drops to homes will go on private property.
Please be patient with the equipment and crew, as they are doing their best to work as quickly as possible while respecting the land and residents.
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Will the County make money from this?
The County will receive a portion of subscription fees, but the main focus for the County is to improve quality of life for residents and create a more competitive business environment.
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Will it make my TV and internet streaming faster?
Fibre can consistently handle more users and more data at higher speeds than other broadband services. In the future, fibre will be able to hit speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second. Fibre is also more reliable than other broadband services.
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Are fibre optics secure?
Yes, fibre optic networks are more secure than other services.
- Traditional copper wire emits electrical signals that can be picked up with special listening equipment.
- Wifi signals can also be compromised.
Optical fibre is immune to electrical interference and has zero electrical emissions. A fibre connection must be interrupted to intercept a signal, which is easily detectable.
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Who will provide my internet service?
The following internet service providers will have access to the County’s network. You can choose to sign up with any one of them.
Please note:Sturgeon County is not affiliated, associated, endorsed, sponsored, or officially connected with the brands featured, mentioned, or referenced in the Internet Service Providers listings. All brands represented are the registered trademarks of their respective owners. The use of any name is for identification and reference purposes only and does not imply an association with the brand. Sturgeon County does not endorse any of their products or services.
If you have any concerns, please contact us via email.
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Who will own the fibre line?
The County will own the fibre line.
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Why not just use Starlink?
Starlink is a great option for many residents, but it has limitations.
- It requires a significant up-front investment and is costly to subscribe.
- Starlink cannot offer the speed and reliability of fibre.
- Starlink is not a permanent solution to address broadband in the County due to its portability (e.g. you can move and take the equipment with you.
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How much will it cost the County?
The County is investing $7.55 million in phase 1. A second phase that includes the rest of the County will be considered by Council in 2022.
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How was the route chosen?
Primarily by the most cost-effective way to bring fibre to the subdivisions, businesses and communities, with consideration for environmentally sensitive areas. Where there were two paths to get to the same place, the path with more service locations was chosen.
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When will the fibre be installed to my property?
Installation of phase 1 will be completed by the end of 2022.
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Where can I get more information regarding this project?
We will continue to update the County website with information on the broadband project including construction timelines and information.
If you have questions about the broadband initiative that are not addressed here, please email us.