Technicians are beginning to install fibre optic cabling across Parksville, to create a city-wide network offering the fastest available internet speeds. (Dreamstime)

By Alex Rawnsley

faster internet

City-wide fibre optic installation begins in Parksville

Oct 23, 2024 | 11:53 AM

PARKSVILLE — Work is underway to upgrade internet services in the Oceanside region.

TELUS, in partnership with F3 Networks Canada, began their on-site work on Wednesday, Oct. 23, to install fibre optic internet connections to roughly 11,500 family homes, multi-unit housing complexes and businesses in Parksville.

Shaye Draper, general manager for TELUS on Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast, said the upgrade will mean exponentially faster connections for home and business use.

“That’s not just important for people who might be gaming at home, it’s really important for businesses. If you think about healthcare…and potentially having a video call with your doctor or needing to monitor a patient, those things all require a lot of bandwidth in both directions.”

Compared to a copper wire signal, which is currently installed in the Parksville area, fibre optic can produce over 1,000 times the capacity for information to move.

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The technology also uses less power and can run over longer distances without degrading.

Darin Wong, TELUS senior strategy manager, added their work connecting properties across Parksville will be done neighbourhood by neighbourhood.

He added staff from the company have been in the community over recent weeks, preparing for construction.

“They’ve been engaging individual homeowners as well as business owners, seeking their permission for a fibre drop or a fibre connection to their individual home or business. Once they receive that drop they have the option in the future, should they choose, to sign up for TELUS PureFibre services.”

Connections are free of charge, regardless of whether the property owner signs up for service.

Wong added work is expected to wrap in Parksville by the end of March, but some will come online much faster.

“Once it’s tested, we basically turn on that neighbourhood for service. We will not wait…until the network is entirely constructed in the city of Parksville, once the neighbourhood is ready and tested, it’ll be turned on and people will have an opportunity to sign up.”

As part of the work, some small, metal cabinets roughly one metre by two metres will be added around the City to help with fibre distribution.

Wong said they don’t draw power, or make noise.

Similar upgrades were made in Nanaimo in 2019 and Nanoose in 2022.

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