Parkland Broadband Feasibility Study

The feasibility study included identifying opportunities where the County could take advantage of opportunities for new investment in its broadband infrastructure through public and/or private partnerships to bring high-speed internet to 12,000 residences, as well as looking to identify assets that could potentially be divested.

IBI Group developed recommendations based on the current condition of two key areas of broadband infrastructure within the County: telecommunications towers owned by Parkland County and fiber-optic cabling specifically servicing the hamlet of Entwistle.

Following the feasibility study, we were contracted to perform a broadband service assessment, which included community engagement and the development of an infrastructure and costing strategy for the County.

We used a digital community engagement tool, ServiceZones, to engage with local residents and businesses to understand the quality of current broadband services and to assess the future needs for broadband in the County. Survey questions focused on perceived future service requirements, cost affordability and the socioeconomic impact of poor broadband services.  

From there, we developed a County-wide broadband connectivity plan that could be deployed through a combination of existing infrastructure, including the Government of Canada’s Universal Broadband Fund grants, and an alternative technology platform based on Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite technologies for sparsely populated areas.

The connectivity plan provided the basis for the County to allocate internal capital budgets and approach service providers and private equity investors on partnership approaches to fund the required infrastructure, with a focus on long-term investment in fiber optic connectivity.