Northern firm gets up to nearly $27M to speed up Nunavut’s internet
Funding to SSi Canada comes from federal government broadband fund
SSi Canada workers are seen in their Ottawa office. The company is being awarded close to $27 million to improve high-speed internet in Nunavut, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission announced Wednesday. (File photo)
Northern internet and energy company SSi Canada will receive close to $27 million in funding to improve high-speed satellite internet in Nunavut’s 25 communities.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, which regulates broadcasting and telecommunications, announced Wednesday it will provide the company up to $26,843,533 over five years for the work.
SSi Canada is the parent company of Nunavut telecommunications company and internet provider Qiniq Inc.
The funding is expected to allow Nunavummiut to access download speeds of 50 megabits per second, and 10 megabits per second for uploads, which is the minimum standard for high-speed internet, the CRTC said in its announcement.
SSi partnered with Starlink to provide faster internet service, SSi’s chief development officer Dean Proctor told Nunatsiaq News.
By September, SSi had finished putting Starlink terminals in every community so that Starlink satellites were the backbone of SSi’s internet connection.
With that development, SSi currently offers a wide range of price plans.
At the lower end, Qiniq Utility provides two gigabytes of data at 512 kilobits per second download speed for $20 a month. At the higher end, Taki Pro offers 100 gigabytes of data at a download speed of five megabits per second for $120 a month.
Proctor said that with the federal funding SSi will be able to use its partnership with Starlink to boost customers’ speeds of 50 megabits per second for downloads and 10 megabits per second for uploads at an affordable price.
He said he can’t disclose just yet what the new prices will be because SSi is still in discussions with the CRTC over its price plans.
However, he said there will be a base price and customers will be able to add higher-level service from there. Customers will be able to buy more data on a per gigabyte basis.
“The bottom line is this is very affordable as a base package,” Proctor said.
SSi has until May to complete its agreements with the CRTC before implementing its internet and mobile services price plans, he said, adding “we don’t have any intention of taking that long to complete all this.”
“We’re ready to go,” Proctor said.
He emphasized the need to provide good internet services for Nunavummiut at a price most can access.
“Not everybody can afford … $200 a month for internet,” he said.
This funding for high-speed internet will improve access to health care and education, as well as help preserve Inuktitut, according to the CRTC.
“This project is the first major milestone in supporting improved telecommunications services in Nunavut,” commission spokesperson Leigh Cameron told Nunatsiaq News in an email.
LOL!!!
The 27 million will be used to partner with Starlink to deliver faster internet. Why not cut out the middle man and just give the money to Starlink?.
Becauae the government loves to launder money through make.work.schemes.
You shop at northern if you have to. But if you can afford and wait for order you order from south.
If you have to, you get cable from coop of go direct.
Same with internet plans.
Qiniq is the Northern Store of providers.
So most people can get starlink from home for 147 a month that is unlimited and much faster than what SSI is offering… given they are using starlink as their connection now arent we just adding a middleman uselessly?
Nice to get a handout I guess… I understand some people cant get starlink because of the building they are in, but there must be a better way than a 27 million dollar handout..
Most people forget that without ssi micro alot of the communities would have no internet at all. This was because NWTel thought they would not make money.
If something breaks better to call someone in the north than trying to call the usa.
I work for Nwtel 🤣 I need a new job maybe with start link 😂
> The funding is expected to allow Nunavummiut to access download speeds of 50 megabits per second, and 10 megabits per second for uploads
We already reached these speeds on the old geostationary satellites years ago, so what exactly is this money getting spent on? You can test this for yourself by running a speed test on your phone since it relies on geostationary satellites for their signal.
P.S. measuring in bits makes everything seem bigger but we live in a byte sized world. 50 Mbps is only 5 MB/s
Telecommunication bandwidth is measured in Mbps, not MBps. look at every single port on a network device, or any network port on any device. It isn’t 1GBps, its 1Gbps, its not 10GBps, its 10Gbps. So your point about Bytes vs bits is moot.
How about you tackle the real question in my comment. We already have these speeds, what good is this money doing?
Well you are correct in saying these speeds are achievable, but they are heavily monopolized through the fact that NWtel is really the only who can access the K19V sat from telesat. The business model of Qiniq and ssi is much different than that of nwtel and bell. With Nwtel and bell you must be privileged enough to have credit, and a credit card and reliable credit score to obtain these services. The reality is telecommunications is moving away from a commodity and is more utility and a basic requirement to survive in today’s world. By supporting the qiniq business model, someone who does not have a credit card, who does not have the prop ability to install a starlink modem, who cannot be signed into a long term contract, can get the required 50down requirement of CRTC by using qiniq local model, where cash is all you need and no contract. It’s a local business model that meets a large portion of Nunavut. I’ll also add that 27 million is nothing compared to the 500 million Nwtel got to turn around and print money. But you are correct in saying technology wise Geo synch has pushed well over 50 megs for years. But that’s not what this about.
50Mbps is not 5 MB/s as you, its 6.25MB/s. There are 8 bits per byte. Doesn’t actually matters, network speeds are measured in bits not bytes.
This is good news for the Nunavummiut and for Qiniq Customers. We should celebrate when we see investments. I can understand you think it’s a handout, however it provides jobs that Northerners can do and for Qiniq to continue. I run a small business and have star link but rely on qiniq when traveling to the smaller communities- so it’s nice to have the option when other providers are not available or I don’t want to pay for the service. Keep up the great work Qiniq and SSI!
If the Feds really want the North to have better (cost and reliability) fiber optic cable has to be run to each community. Those nice Starlink Satellites aren’t going to stay up in the sky forever and will break down and will always be subject to solar flares and other unknowns.
This is a very ill-informed comment. The logistics of this make it impossible considering the number of people in each community. SSI has spent a ton of time and money to bring what they can to Nunavut. I think most appreciate it. Some always think they know better. Just be happy that someone is trying to help.
Does that mean that I pay 27 dollars less a month when it is up and running?
Big companies can keep asking governments for more handouts and will be freely given what they’re asked for and yet inuit still go hungry.
They had starlink on their towers for a year. How is throwing more money at them suddenly going to improve? The federal government should’ve ditched ssi a long time ago and focused on starlink being the main provider and make ssi a secondary one with how much they ask the government every few years.
40,000 people in Nunavut. This funding works out to $675 per person, including every man, woman, trans, teen and baby up here.
It costs $500 to buy the Starlink hardware. Perhaps it could cost $150 to get it installed, although most people are fine putting out front of their house for free by themselves.
So, for how much money the Feds are giving SSI, they could optionally directly simply give or gift everyone Starlink.
Given that thousands of residents are not adults, do not have households, millions could actually be saved going that route.
Currently, SSI offers $140/mo for 150Gb of data. Starlink direct offers unlimited data for the same price.
Anyone else see the problem here?
For crying out loud, how much money has the Government poured into NSSI over the last 20 years ?????
You could photocopy their 20 years old proposals and promesses and the Feds would still send them loads of money.
Where is the accounting for all that money ?
Nice business to be in I guess
Thanks
Hate it or love them, SSI is the people’s internet provider. They are the most accessible company to get an internet connection. You don’t need a credit card, no contract, no phone line. Get your modem, and away you go. Go to another community, bam internet. Their shortage on the Bandwidth offered is not something they are overly in control with, there are other players involved at that point. Hate it or love them, competition is what you need in this industry, and I am happy to see SSI Micro get this money.
Just add up what the federal government has given NWTel over the years.
Probably 20 times or more than ssi has gotten. What has NWTel done for you lately?
A lot of people have short memories.
Too late!! LOL.
Finally, they took real action when Starlink became available in Nunavut. 😆
Some people think starlink is the same kind of internet provider to that of qiniq, it is not. Starlink have long cables and connected to wall outlet, qiniq has mobile plans which you can put it inside your pocket around the world.
I bought my own starlink , the govt should subsidize my investments too.
STARLINK is taking all of SSI customers.
I got rid of my Shaw Direct Service and now just stream the shows and movies I want to watch because I got Starlink.
Wasting money propping up a dying company.