A Call to Action

A digital network built by and for the community

The new digital network was designed and developed by the municipality to meet the unique realities and needs of the Pictou County community.  Four principles guided the municipality in the development of this infrastructure:

  • A municipally governed service based on community values;
  • Equitable coverage at levels that meet Canadian standards.
  • Shared revenue with the Municipality to repay the funding and provide funds for new activities; 
  • An Open Access network will allow for the lowest-cost service and the greatest choice.

The Municipality of Pictou County (MOPC) can adopt these ambitious targets because it takes a different approach to network provision than the traditional urban model. The lesson learned over the years is that the traditional urban approach does not apply in rural areas.

The network design is a ‘fibre-rich’ plan, with extensive use of fibre optic cable to provide service to residents. This will provide additional future-proofing of the network and give us the ability to better serve our community. The network will see approximately two-thirds of the homes served by fibre to the premise providing speeds of up to 1 Gigabyte per second.

Learn More About our Rural Broadband Network

A network based on best practices

This municipally led network combines revenue sharing and world-class quality with competitive Open Access pricing and choice. Public and private sectors will combine strengths for the quick delivery of a network that sparks new businesses and social initiatives.

Service quality will meet or exceed Canadian standards, and pricing will be competitive and equitable. Because the network is open access, various Internet Service Providers are welcome to offer services—a benefit that will provide variety and ensure good consumer value.