Rogers Communications and its contractor, Ledcor, will begin work on June 5 to expand the broadband network across Prince Edward County.
“Because reliable, high-speed internet is vital for County residents and businesses, we are pleased to see this project move forward,” Mayor Steve Ferguson says. “Expanded, upgraded and reliable connectivity will be a gamechanger for the competitiveness of County-based businesses and services, and open up new possibilities for people who currently or want to call Prince Edward County home.”
This project involves expanding fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) connections to approximately 7,000 properties in the County. Rogers will install more than 1,000 kilometres of new fibre infrastructure by the end of 2024. The public can follow the construction progress on a map posted on the County website.
The majority of the wireline will be installed underground through the use of trenchless technologies wherever possible to limit open crossings of roadways. Most of the wireline will be installed near the edge of the existing roadways through the use of plowing. This technique is beneficial as it leads to faster installation and less impact on the roadside environment (drainage, trees and vegetation).
Hard surface driveways will be crossed using directional drilling. Drilling under paved roads and driveways is a minimally invasive technique that does not usually impact the road or driveway surface. Should the work cause any damage to mailboxes, civic address signs, and other signage, they will be replaced by the contractor immediately.
This work is expected to have minimum impact on County roadways. Significant traffic disruptions will be communicated through the County’s news and notices service as well as on Facebook and Twitter.
Rogers will post signs along roadways and knock on doors in areas where work is taking place in order to inform residents about accessing the new broadband service. If you have questions about the service, contact Rogers Communications at ServiceExpansion@rci.rogers.com.
This work is part of the Government of Ontario’s Accelerated High-Speed Internet Program (AHSIP). The goal is to connect every region in Ontario to reliable, high-speed internet by the end of 2025. Learn more about the program.
For more information, contact the County of Prince Edward at 613.476.2148 extension 1023, 613.962.9108 extension 1023, or info@pecounty.on.ca.