Residents of the Williams Lake Indian Band 1 community will be getting a major upgrade to their internet speeds.
The B.C. government is contributing $177,000 to support a Telus project to bring fibre optic internet to band homes and workplaces which currently share a single fibre connection to the band office.
“We’re extremely excited about the pending upgrades to Williams Lake Indian Band’s broadband internet service,” said Williams Lake Indian Band Chief Willie Sellars in a government news release. “As community leaders, we are committed to improving the quality of life for our people. Services, such as reliable internet, are a necessary part of existence in the modern world. We’re grateful for the support offered by the Connecting British Columbia program and look forward to enjoying the many benefits that will flow from this project.”
The money flows from the Connecting British Columbia program funded by the Province, and administered by Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT), to expand and upgrade broadband connections in rural and Indigenous communities.
The completion of the $354,000 project will enable Band residents and businesses to access the internet at speeds of up to 750 Mbps, fast enough for multiple family members to stream high-definition video online.
By the end of next year, Telus says it will have connected 54 Indigenous communities across B.C. to this network.
