GTONS What is it Gold

GTONS ~ What is it ? • Gold Trail Open Network Society (GTONS) • Registered, not for profit organization • Dedicated to Broadband Internet Connectivity • Agent for School District connectivity

GTONS ~ Who ? • Open membership • Any person/agency with specific interest • Founding members represent – School District #74 – Open Learning Agency – TNRD Library System – Copper Valley Cablevision – FN Education Council • Initiative started by Gold Country communities

GTONS ~ Where ? 312 4 th Street, Ashcroft, BC Phone/fax: 250 -453 -9211 www. gtnet. ca

GTONS ~ Where ? Gang Ranch Dog Creek Lone Butte Canoe Creek Green Lake 70 Mile House Jesmond Chasm Big Bar Clinton Tyax Loon Lake 16 Mile Pavilion Bonaparte Hat Creek Skeetchestn T’it’q’et Cache Creek Shalalth Bralorne Savona Walhachin Ashcroft Lillooet Seton Venables Portage Highland Valley D'Arcy Logan Lake Fountain Birken Spences Bridge Pemberton Academy Meadows Mount Currie Lytton Siska Gun Lake Gold Bridge

GTONS Network ~ Now INTERNET Clinton Cache Creek Gold Bridge Shalalth Seton Portage Ashcroft Lillooet Logan Lake Spences Bridge Lytton

GTONS Network ~ Future Gang Ranch Dog Creek Lone Butte Canoe Creek Green Lake 70 Mile House Jesmond Chasm Big Bar Loon Lake Clinton Gun Lake Gold Bridge Bralorne Pemberton Meadows Pemberton Tyax INTERNET Hat Creek 16 Mile Pavilion Bonaparte Skeetchestn T’it’q’et Cache Creek Shalalth Savona Ashcroft Walhachin Seton Lillooet Portage Venables Highland Valley Fountain D'Arcy Logan Lake Academy Birken Spences Bridge Mount Currie Lytton Siska

GTONS ~ When ? Why ? • Incorporated in September 2002 • To assume technology development activities initiated by Gold Country Communities Society (GCCS)

HISTORY ~ Internet in this Region • 1990 Internet? What the heck is that? • 1995 School District 74 (SD 74) develops wide area network • 1996 SD 74 & GCCS partner to: – Seek Federal funding for public internet access sites (CAP Sites) – Allow local toll-free dial-up into the SD 74 Wide Area Network (WAN)

HISTORY ~ Internet in this Region • 1998 PLNet provides fibre optic connectivity from SD 74 to Victoria • 1999 Partnership receives grant from OLT for a Regional Learning Network • 1999 Partnership allows Copper Valley Cable to offer cable internet service in Ashcroft/Cache Creek

HISTORY ~ Internet in this Region • 2000 Copper Valley partnership builds fibre optic network in Ashcroft and Cache Creek connecting schools, libraries, and government agencies • 2001 Similar Fibre Optic network aggregation begun in Lillooet

HISTORY ~ Internet in this Region • 2001 Interior Science Innovation Council (ISIC) provides funding to purchase fibre optic splicing and testing equipment • 2002 e. Learning project funded by CANARIE • 2003 Broadband business plan development funded by Industry Canada

SUCCESS is Choking Us • Community dial-up and home use • “Computers For Schools” distribution of computers to needy homes for SD 74 • Internet traffic has increased so significantly that dial-up is no longer adequate for the area

WHY GTONS ? • Provincial and Federal agencies requested a regional group dedicated to broadband internet development • GTONS evolved for this purpose • History of success with technology development funding agencies • Open-ended public private partnership bringing collective expertise to this project

GTONS ~ Associations • • • Member - Pacific Community Network Assoc. Member – BC Internet Assoc Member - BICSI Member – CAP and BC Broadband Champions groups Associated with Interior Science Innovation Council Associated with Industry Canada, CANARIE, Ca. Net, BCNet, PLNet • Associated with Telecommunities Canada, part of Global Community Network (United Nations) • Direct programming with BC Open Learning Agency • CAP management contractor

FINANCIAL Impact to Date • $340, 000 in CAP projects • $300, 000 in OLT grants • $194, 780 in youth employment • $75, 000 in RHT grants • $130, 000 CAP connectivity (March/03) • $120, 000 CAP connectivity (2003/04)

FINANCIAL Impact to Date • $285, 000 CANARIE grant • $10, 000 INAC (expected) • $15, 000 ISIC • $30, 000 BRAND • TOTAL - $1, 509, 780

WHO BENEFITS ? The individual and the Community • Small communities are not serviced by commercial interest • Education • Health Services • Alternative methods of accessing information is required

WHO BENEFITS ? Local Business • Expand markets • Going global • Access supplies and information • Compete with Urban counterparts • Community Economic Development

WHO BENEFITS ? Canada • Fulfilling government objective of Broadband service for every Canadian by 2004 • GTONS is not a beneficiary, just a conduit

WHY These Communities? • Geographically • Existing connections through SD 74 • Need • All communities will have equal opportunity • Neighbouring networks already under development • Less down time

WHAT Happens Next ? • Establish participation and access needs • Determine what various partners need from and what they can contribute to Broadband network • Identify opportunities for aggregation with corporate and government agencies • Identify technical requirements and development restrictions • Develop the Broadband Business Plan • Present plan to Industry Canada prior to May 22