Wireless broadband to cover P.E.I.

A new consortium of companies has come together to provide broadband internet access to people in rural P.E.I. who are still using dial-up service.

ISN Wireless says it will provide high-speed service for all areas of the province not currently served within the next three years. Right now, there are about 2,000 homes on P.E.I. that can't access high-speed internet.

Wayne Phalen, who was president of Ruranet, which came together with Xittel and ISN to form ISN Wireless, said he got on board with the consortium because of the opportunity it will bring his company.

"It's huge. The rural communities have been I'm going to get in trouble for saying ignored but they've been ignored for years," said Phalen.

"This will have a big impact. It keeps you where you are. You don't have to come to the big city to work, not that Charlottetown's a huge city."

ISN Wireless says access to high-speed internet won't cost rural Islanders any more than it does Islanders in larger centres. It will cost the company about $2 million to bring the entire Island on line.