Durham Region drives innovation and addresses the “digital divide” with the establishment of a Regional Broadband Network

Durham Region’s 2019 Broadband Strategy outlines a vision for its residents, businesses and institutions, to have access to fast, reliable and affordable broadband services so that they may fully participate, compete and thrive in the twenty-first century. To achieve the Region’s vision for broadband, a Regional Broadband Network (RBN) will be established to create a 700-kilometre fibre optic network. 

The Region’s broadband survey work highlighted a lack of fast, reliable and affordable internet in many communities, especially in rural areas. The research also identified a major barrier to providing high-speed broadband access as the prohibitive cost for Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to reach these communities. This resulted in a “digital divide” where rural and outlying communities lack access to the fast internet speeds that they need to participate and thrive in society. 

Realizing the network vision – Durham OneNet Inc.

To ensure the successful implementation, Durham Region has established Durham OneNet Inc., a wholly owned Municipal Services Corporation (MSC), to design, build, and operate the RBN. The Region approved plans for the RBN and establishing the MSC to serve the Region’s own connectivity needs and enable faster Internet services to our rural areas. 

Through Durham OneNet, the planned RBN network will leverage existing assets to connect communities throughout Durham Region and provide ISPs with access to fibre backbone infrastructure enabling them to deliver internet connectivity to residents and businesses in all areas, creating communities fully engaged in today’s digital environments.

Regional Broadband Network

Creating a Regional Broadband Network (RBN) is necessary to achieve Durham Region’s broadband vision. The implementation of the network will be completed through a three-step process:

  1. Leverage Regional fibre assets: Utilize the 75km of existing Traffic Division fibre network by making spare capacity available to internet service providers (ISPs), effectively leveraging the Region’s already-built network.
  2. Develop and expand fibre network across the Region: Expand the RBN to approximately 700 kilometres to serve Regional facilities, improving the delivery of Regional services, while also connecting our communities.
  3. Provide open access fibre to private sector carriers and (ISPs): Open access enables ISPs to leverage affordable access to the communities that the RBN will interconnect.

This Regional Broadband Network will enable Durham Region to drive economic development and innovation across all communities through improved broadband connectivity.
 Durham Region Broadband Strategy - Connecting our Communities

Access to fast, reliable and affordable internet is required by every part of society to improve the way we live, learn, do business, and create and consume content. There are different types of broadband networks, from traditional digital subscriber line (DSL) and cable lines to the more advanced fibre to the home. In some cases, wireless internet can provide a way to connect low density areas that would otherwise not have received internet services.

 

The urban areas of Durham are generally well served and in many cases exceed the CRTC standards. Unfortunately, there are some rural communities in Durham Region that are underserved due to their geography and demographics. Realizing this service gap, in 2019 the Region launched the Durham Region Broadband Strategy – Connecting our Communities to bridge the digital divide.

The goal of the Broadband Strategy is to bring Durham Region up to speed with some of the best-connected communities in the world.
Broadband Availability Map

Check for broadband availability in your area

Introduction: 

The Government of Canada (Innovation Science and Economic Development [ISED]) publishes detailed mapping of broadband availability across the country. This information is based primarily on data collected from Internet Service Providers (ISPs) along with other data sources. 

The map is publicly available on the Government of Canada website, and can be quite useful to determine the speeds available and the ISPs that offer services in your neighbourhood.  

Based on requests from communities, we have prepared instructions to help Durham Region residents navigate the page and interpret the information provided.

Instructions:

  1. Click this link to be directed to the National Broadband Internet Service Availability Map. 
  2. Manually navigate the map by zooming into the area of interest or alternatively enter the street address (at arrow A) that you are trying to lookup. Then click “Search”.

    An image of the Government of Canada’s National Broadband Internet Service Availability map with blue arrows indicating steps on how to navigate the tool to find available internet services in your area, including Wireline only, Wireless only and Wireline and Wireless.

  3. A street view map will appear showing the general area of your intended address. 
  4. Zoom in manually and navigate to the specific street you are interested in searching. 
  5. The streets are colour-coded and the legend on the left (arrow B) displays the service levels available. 
  6. By default, services levels available on both wireline and wireless technologies are shown, however, you have the ability to change the display to one or the other types of technologies by selecting the buttons at arrow C. 
    • Choosing “Wireline only” will display the service levels that are available in that area over wireline technologies only (e.g. Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), coaxial cable, and fibre to the home (FTTH)). 
    • Choosing “Wireless only” will display the service levels that are available in that area over wireless technologies only (e.g. fixed wireless, mobile wireless, satellite). 
    • Choosing “Wireline and Wireless” will display the service levels that are available in that area over any technology. 
  7. At arrow D, leave the “Current available services” checked. 
    • The other two checkboxes “Government supported services” and “Private expansion services” do not appear to show any more data at this time. 
  8. By selecting a point on the map and then selecting the “Area Information” tab at arrow E, further details about the service providers and technologies they use to deliver the service can be displayed. Note that these details apply to a larger footprint (grey hexagon on the map) and not to the street view. What this means is that the information may be applicable to some areas within the grey hexagon and not necessarily to all of the grey hexagon.

    An image of the Government of Canada’s National Broadband Internet Service Availability map with blue arrows indicating steps on how to navigate the tool to find further details about the service providers and technologies they use, including DSL, Coaxial Cable, Fixed Wireless, Satellite and Mobile Wireless.

Note that this site provides information that is accurate as of the date it was published. Further updates may be added by ISED in upcoming months.

Users are encouraged to contact the listed ISPs directly to determine what services may be available to their specific address. 
Service Providers

Durham Region has a variety of service providers:
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