Mike Temporale
07-22-2005, 08:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.itworldcanada.com/a/Daily-News/d124941a-525a-4f92-8741-debd3dbe690c.html' target='_blank'>http://www.itworldcanada.com/a/Daily-News/d124941a-525a-4f92-8741-debd3dbe690c.html</a><br /><br /></div><i>"'Project Chapleau' will see Bell expand its fibre-optic network in Chapleau, Ont., a town 320 kilometres northeast of Sault Ste. Marie with 3,000 inhabitants. Besides the Bell fibre enhancement, Nortel will install a wireless mesh network in the municipality for local, mobile hooks into the fibre backbone. Thus the firm’s aim is to bring high-speed Web connectivity to the area, a first for Chapleau. As well as the new network, project stakeholders will give Chapleau citizens access to video conferencing and other collaborative technologies. Over a period of time the venture will scrutinize the ways in which people use the new applications, to investigate the effects of these novel programs on government services, medicine, education and economic development."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/Temporale-20050719-Chapleau.jpg" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/><br /><br />I created the map above in MapPoint to help any of you that might never have heard of Chapeau before. ;) I think this is going to be a very interesting study. A small town with just 3000 people, will have access to better technology than many of the urban areas we all live in. In the end, I would expect Chapleau to experience a very substantial economic boom. After all, the land and buildings are cheaper, there would be plenty of people willing to work, and not to mention the state of the art high speed network. What do you think? Will Chapleau end up being like a kid in a candy store or like selling ice at the North Pole?