We’re building a community-owned open-access fibre-optic network

BrooksNET is an open access fibre-optic network that the City of Brooks and our partner, Community Network Partners, are building. Think of it as a road – the City builds the road and then trucking companies operate on the road network. In this case, we’re building the fibre-optic network and internet service providers will be able to operate on our network. Our hope is that we will build one high-tech, dependable network so that others don’t have to do the same thing in five or ten years. It would be weird if every trucking company that operated in town had to build their own road, right?

Internet access is important – very important – to the growth of our local businesses and our community. We’re building BrooksNET with future needs in mind and in doing so, will be able to bring new opportunities for students, businesses, producers, creators, people working from home, and more. Service levels in Brooks aren’t terrible, but with a median download speed of 22.5 Mbps and upload speed of 6.59 Mbps, we fall pretty far below the CRTC minimum standard of 50 Mbps for downloads and 10 Mbps for uploads. The City Council decided to make an investment in our future and ensure that we don’t get left behind.

In order to get your property (business or home) connected to the network, you have to sign up for a service contract with one of our Internet Service Providers. A standard connection to the network is free but each retailer will have different packages and prices for services. Your monthly bill will come from whichever service provider you choose, not from the City of Brooks. They provide the services and we provide the network for them to operate on.

Our design team has divided the city into seven “Service Zones” labelled A-G. A map showing the Service Zones is available on our website and social media accounts. The first Zone to be constructed will be Zone D and after that we’ll be working counter-clockwise through Zone C, A and B plus Zone F as permitting allows. Ideally, we will get these Zones completed in 2022 and will work on the remaining zones E and G in 2023. Follow the BrooksNET Facebook and Instagram accounts for construction updates. We’ll also be sharing updates in the Brooks Bulletin and through local radio stations on Talk of the Town.

BrooksNET is built by the community, for the community. We don’t have stockholders demanding high profits, so we can offer better costs and more economical services than privately-owned networks. Plus, when you sign up for BrooksNET, you’re ultimately giving back to your own community. The community will receive $10/mo for every customer that accesses the network, regardless of which RSP the customer chooses. So if you’re going to be paying $100/mo for internet anyways, why not pay it to an organisation that gives back to the community?