$21M Telus investment in “Fibre” makes Kimberley and Fernie connected communities

90% of the homes and businesses in Kimberley are now connected to Telus fibre-optic internet.

Mayor of Kimberley, Don McCormick, Carly Jellis of Telus, Phil Moore, VP Telus Broadband and Bert Braybrook, Telus General Manager, Kamloops/Cariboo/Kootenay region. — Photo courtesy Kootenay Business

On a snowy November evening, key Telus officials, City of Kimberley and Chamber of Commerce executives gathered at the Kimberley Conference Centre to announce and celebrate the completion of a city-wide fibre optic installation in Kimberley.

Kimberley was the second Kootenay community (Creston was the first) to be completely wired with "fibre to the door."  Starting in March of 2015 Telus made a $10.5 million investment in the community by installing fibre either above ground or underground to over 90% of the homes and businesses in Kimberley.  The project was described as a "test run of sorts" to understand and work through the challenges of getting broadband installed in smaller, rural communities like Kimberley.

"This installation makes Kimberley one of the most connected communities in BC.  Connecting a community like Kimberley is a big driver toward keeping people in the community," said Phil Moore, Telus vice-president of broadband operations.  "This has been possible because of the great co-operation we received from the municipality and residents of Kimberley."

The city was divided into 13 fibre serving areas (FSA) and the last installation was completed in September/October.  Telus has seen a 47% success rate in businesses and residents hooking up to the newly installed fibre network.

"Telus has proven themselves to be a very important partner in helping Kimberley move forward with their economic development vision," said Don McCormick, Mayor of Kimberley. "Kimberley is just a handful of rural communities that can boast the same internet speeds as major cities.  We thank Telus for their investment in our city."

All agreed that this gives Kimberley a distinct competitive advantage over many other communities, especially for businesses.

As one Kimberley realtor stated, "No longer will there be a compromise between service and lifestyle. If you are thinking about either relocating or investing, this is just one more reason Kimberley is the clear choice."

A similar TELUS investment of $10.5 million to connect more than 90 per cent of homes and businesses in Fernie to its fibre optic network was also recently completed. “The expansion of Internet services in Fernie (and Kimberley) gives residents and businesses access to the most advanced technology available today,” said Kootenay East MLA Bill Bennett. “This is a major investment by TELUS that supports local jobs and will enable long-term economic growth in the community.”

“Fibre is the future,” said Tony Geheran, TELUS Executive Vice-President and President of Broadband Networks. “This investment will exponentially boost Fernie’s Internet capacity, ensuring visitors and residents alike will enjoy high-speed, uninterrupted access to the Internet and enhanced wireless services, even during peak ski season in the winter months. TELUS Fibre also lays the backbone for the local mining and forestry industries, enabling businesses to draw upon the new bandwidth and capacity to innovate and adapt.”

Communities in the Kootenays which Telus has recently installed fibre optic cable include Kimberley, Creston, Fernie, Revelstoke and Cranbrook.