In an attempt to revolutionize the way Okotoks residents and businesses access Internet services, the Town has approved the purchase and launch of its own personal satellite.
After considering installation of a fibre optic network to improve lagging Internet speeds, Mayor Bill Robertson said they abandoned the idea after finding the process to be a tedious and lengthy one.
“You would have to dig up a number of existing roads and sidewalks, as well as people’s properties just to install the fibre,” he explained. “And we were looking at a $20 million investment for a project that won’t be ready to go for 10 years. By that time we’re behind the curve.”
Olds Alberta launched a fibre optic network two years ago, boasting the fastest Internet speeds in the country, and Robertson said Okotoks is looking to make itself stand out with an entirely new level of service.
“We need to take things to the next level, we’re looking to make Okotoks a destination for entrepreneurs in addition to providing the absolute best service for our residents,” he said. “We’ve done our research and we believe purchasing a satellite is the way to go.”
The town first began to investigate the possibility of a satellite last year when Hollywood movie director Chris Nolan was in town filming the space-oddessy film Interstellar in 2013. Satellite systems engineer Leo Minoy of United Satellite Structures Enterprise was brought in to work as a consultant for the film. While Minoy was in town, Mayor Robertson took the opportunity to discuss the possibility of moving forward with a satellite purchase.
Minoy said they discussed the various options USS Enterprise offers for communities of Okotoks’ size, and said they’re eager to get things moving now that the $100-million sale is final.
“Okotoks really is in a fantastic position to make this happen. It’s already too far along to consider fibre-optics, and why bring the Internet in from underneath when you can beam it in from the sky?” Minoy said. “It really is the Internet of the future and a number of communities are moving this way.”
The model that the Town went with is a geosynchronous satellite, which orbits at a further distance, but at the same pace as earth’s rotation to keep its signal focused on Okotoks. Minoy explained that only people within the town boundary with a receiver will be able to access the Internet.
“It’s the same concept as your old school satellite dish,” he said. “You simply have an antenna on your roof to collect a signal, and then you attach smaller antennas to any device you would like to access the Internet on.”
Once in motion, antennas can be purchased at the Town’s Operation Centre, which is currently being expanded to include a help desk and retail outlet to help fit people with all of their antenna needs. Depending on size, the price of antennas will range from $60-250, and a flat monthly fee of $65 will be added onto household utility bills, regardless of how many antennas residents have purchased, if any at all.
“If we’re making such a large investment with taxpayer’s money, we want to be sure each of our residents are making use of it,” Mayor Robertson explained. “If residents are already paying for it, they’re more likely to take advantage of this fantastic opportunity.”
Now that the satellite has been purchased, the next step will be to launch it into orbit. Robertson said they’re planning a town-wide event for residents to come watch the launch, and are hoping to have the date set for next April Fool’s Day.
