GTONS ~ What is it ?

2. 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

3. 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

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

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

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

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

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

9. HISTORY ~ Internet in this Region • 1990 Internet? What the heck is that? • 1995 School District 74 (SD74) develops wide area network • 1996 SD74 & GCCS partner to: • Seek Federal funding for public internet access sites (CAP Sites) • Allow local toll-free dial-up into the SD74 Wide Area Network (WAN)

10. HISTORY ~ Internet in this Region • 1998 PLNet provides fibre optic connectivity from SD74 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

11. 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

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

13. SUCCESS is Choking Us • Community dial-up and home use • “Computers For Schools” distribution of computers to needy homes for SD74 • Internet traffic has increased so significantly that dial-up is no longer adequate for the area

14. 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

15. 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, CaNet, BCNet, PLNet • Associated with Telecommunities Canada, part of Global Community Network (United Nations) • Direct programming with BC Open Learning Agency • CAP management contractor

16. 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)

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

18. 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

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

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

21. WHY These Communities? • Geographically • Existing connections through SD74 • Need • All communities will have equal opportunity • Neighbouring networks already under development • Less down time

22. 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