1. SouthWest Integrated Fibre Technology
the
SouthWest Integrated Fibre Technology
network project
SWIFT: my perspective
Roger Watt
Deputy Reeve, Ashfield-Colborne-Wawanosh Township
Councillor, Huron County
February, 2016

2. my background ...
[ ] 39 years managing user-support, computing systems, campus networks, and Internet facilities and services at UWaterloo. Retired as Director, Network Services.
[1979-present] 37 years participating in network- building activities ... national (NetNorth, CA*net, Canarie's CA*net 2,3), provincial (ONet, Orano's ORION), regional (Perth/Huron Rural Broadband Connections project, SWIFT).

3. SWIFT history … A project of the Western Ontario Wardens' Caucus.
Feasibility study for an ultra-high-speed regional network initiated
Project proposal approved
Niagara and Waterloo regions have also joined.

4. concept …
Build a future- proof network with 350 access points by 2020.
80Gbps core
40Gbps aggregation
10Gbps access
Potential for 3,000 access points by 2040.

6. strategy …
Attract major MUSH/commercial “anchor tenant” customers in the 350 access-point communities.
Use a small part of the annual access revenue to subsidize existing and new network providers to build local fibre-to-the-premises networks so that “all” urban and rural customers can have Mbps Internet between 2020 and ($70-90M subsidy over 20 yrs?)
SWIFT claims fibre-to-the-premises is feasible down to a density of 4 residences / sq km.

7. SCF proposal for $269M funding …
$89.7M federal (33¢)
$89.7M provincial (33¢)
$18M municipalities (7¢) + $71.7M private sector (27¢)
Additional $12M not eligible for SCF funding.

8. Huron County existing coverage …
by sq km: 57% wireless 6% ADSL 9% VDSL 28% FTTP
mainly by local ITPA members

9. ITPA members in WOWC area ...
Brooke
Bruce
Execulink
Gosfield North
Mornington
Hay
Hurontel
Quadro
Tuckersmith
Wightman
… a century of service …

10. international recognition ...
HuronTel the only non-US rural communications firm of 13 in North America honored in 2014 with the Rural Broadband Association’s Smart Rural Community award. Cited for …
advanced communications technologies and services,
collaboration with community leaders,
enabling innovation in economic development and commerce, education, enhanced health care, government services, security, and energy use.

11. ITPA-member concerns …
To participate, they may have to contribute some of their fibre and equipment resources. If they don't participate, they may be overbuilt by participating providers. Either way, may lose anchor-tenant customers and be relegated to being only last-mile providers.
Have made a counter-proposal to work with the counties to identify gaps, establish desired last- mile service levels, and pursue funding that will be required.
Have had two meetings with SWIFT, and have sent SWIFT a list of 22 questions seeking clarification re SWIFT's intentions.

12. Huron County Council concerns …
High-speed (fibre, VDSL) covers only 37% of Huron sq km … 63% is slow- speed wireless (1.5/0.3 max) and DSL (5.0/1.0 max), plus a few isolated spots where only dial-up or satellite.
Farm residences ~ 1.1 / sq km.
“Fibre to all by 2040” not acceptable to ratepayers; priority is last-mile rural high-speed coverage, now.
Council wants assurance that ITPA members will continue to prosper.

13. where it’s at: the waiting game …
SWIFT Inc created. Once SCF funding approved, will prepare RFQ and then RFP for providers to construct the network.
ITPA awaiting SWIFT's answers to its questions.
Huron County Council awaiting satisfactory SWIFT/ITPA outcome before committing interim funding to SWIFT. Failing that, Council will have to decide whether to go with SWIFT or the ITPA counter-proposal … or both.
Everybody waiting for the RFQ and RFP.

14. my personal perspective ...
I've seen big government-funded projects like this before; the wide- area scope tends to favour the large national and provincial providers.
The details of SWIFT's RFQ and RFP will determine whether ITPA’s members feel they can participate and prosper.

15. personal perspective, continued …
For residential subscribers today, anything less than guaranteed minimum 10Mbps download and 5Mbps upload, upgradable is not worth pursuing.
Fibre-to-the-premises is not a day- one requirement, but every step must work toward it. For example …

16. Fibre-to-the-node, VDSL-to-the-premises ...
phone, TV, and Internet at 100Mbps symmetric within 300m, decreasing to 25Mbps at 1km. Excellent for low-density clusters (small settlement/cottage areas), but is not a farm solution.

17. personal perspective, conclusion …
SWIFT can be an enormous asset to urban and rural southwest Ontario for economic development, remote health- care delivery, etc.
Huron needs to inve$t in both SWIFT and rural to-the-home service. It won't be cheap; eg: estimated “greenfield” cost of fibre-to-the-premises throughout the WOWC footprint is ~$3B.

18. Sources used in preparation ...
SWIFT-team staff
WOWC website, SWIFT feasibility study and primer
SWIFT website, 3rd-party review and FAQ
ITPA website
SWIFT report to WOWC re ITPA concerns
ITPA Southwest Ontario Broadband Proposal
ITPA questions to SWIFT