COGECO CONNEXION ENGAGED IN A RENEWED APPROACH TO CONNECT CANADIANS
Toronto, June 5, 2017 – At the 2017 Canadian Telecom Summit that opened at Toronto’s Congress Centre today, Ken Smithard, President of Cogeco Connexion, presented a renewed network expansion approach designed to improve Internet access in remote and rural regions of Canada.
Further to measures implemented by the different levels of government to provide a larger number of Canadians with the same level of Internet access, he made the case for the industry’s need to be part of the solution.
“We, as an industry, have a role to play in providing a community’s citizens, organizations and businesses with the means to benefit from the opportunities of the digital era. We need to engage in the needed digital transformation and participate in connecting communities,” stated Mr. Smithard.
Mr. Smithard presented a more open, flexible and community-focused vision of network expansion projects.
“A different approach is needed if we hope to reach and serve communities in regions that have little or no service. In terms of investments, we have to adopt greater flexibility while leveraging government programs and public funding. We must also work in conjunction with community leaders, other service providers and key local partners in order to facilitate the construction of broadband networks and streamline barriers,” asserted Mr. Smithard.
“In addition, different operational models are required to serve remote communities and we need to leverage economies of scale to overcome cost barriers. More importantly, however, it is vital for us to remain close to our communities, listen to their needs and understand their situation. At Cogeco, being at the service of the communities we serve is part of our fundamental values for sixty years now.”
“Providing all Canadians with Internet access is a challenge. We have the choice to embrace it. Cogeco has made that choice. We don’t have to re-invent our business, we have to adapt it to the challenge and be innovative. We at Cogeco have the ability and the willingness to innovate to better serve our customers, our communities and our fellow Canadians,” he concluded.
ABOUT COGECO CONNEXION
Cogeco Connexion regroups the Canadian cable operations of Cogeco Communications Inc. Cogeco Connexion is the second largest cable operator in Ontario and Québec in terms of the number of basic cable service customers served. It provides its residential and small business customers with video, Internet and telephony services through its two-way broadband cable networks. Cogeco Communications Inc. is a communications corporation and is the 8th largest hybrid fibre coaxial cable operator in North America operating in Canada under the Cogeco Connexion brand name in Québec and Ontario, and in the United States through its subsidiary Atlantic Broadband in western Pennsylvania, south Florida, Maryland/Delaware, South Carolina and eastern Connecticut. Through Cogeco Peer 1, Cogeco Communications Inc. provides its business customers with a suite of information technology services (colocation, network connectivity, hosting, cloud and managed services), through its 16 data centres, extensive FastFiber Network® and more than 50 points of presence in North America and Europe. Cogeco Communications Inc.’s subordinate voting shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: CCA).
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INFORMATION AND INTERVIEW REQUESTS:
Gabriel Beausejour
Senior Advisor, External Communications
Cogeco Connexion
514-764-4618