Burgeo is a remote coastal community in Newfoundland with a population of about 1,500 people. To reach Burgeo from the mainland, visitors take the ferry to Port Aux Basques or fly into an airport at either Stephenville or Deer Lake. From these locations, they drive down Route 480, which is called "The Caribou Trail," to get to Burgeo.
The Burgeo Broadcasting System (BBS) is a not-for-profit group owned by local cable subscribers. The group works to make sure that residents get the lowest possible prices for television, Internet and radio in an area with sometimes limited opportunities for access.
Burgeo, along with Francois, Grand Bruit, Grey River and Ramea, make up five rural communities on Newfoundland's southwest coast that are part of a BBS economic initiative.
The initiative, called the BBS Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Project, strives to create high-speed wireless network offerings that will increase both economic development and access to emergency services in the five towns.
To increase its wireless offerings for residents of these communities, the BBS has deployed solutions from Alvarion, Ltd. Using Alvarion solutions including BreezeULTRA, BreezeNET B and BreezeACCESS VL, BBS can increase its delivery of high-speed, voice, wireless data and video applications.
Three infrastructure areas targeted for improvement by BBS include healthcare, education and tourism. For instance, Alvarion will enable Wi-Fi coverage at nearby Gross Morne National Park, an area that offers no cellular network access.
Alvarion solutions are partially powered by both solar panels and a generator with solar backup. Green power means energy efficient operation and lower operational costs.
"We understand what it takes to deliver connectivity to remote areas, and we take special care to deliver reliable, flexible and powerful solutions to keep communities connected, wherever they are located," said Chris Daniels, general manager, Americas for Alvarion.
Edited by
Brooke Neuman
