Founded originally as a supplier of office telephone systems in 1989, ABC Communications was one of the first companies to offer Internet services in British Columbia. With a head office still based in Quesnel, this family owned business has grown into BC’s largest privately held telecommunications solution provider. Today, ABC provides broadband services to over 5,000 broadband Internet customers, ranging from rural residents and home-based businesses to large corporations and government agencies.
ABC is a pioneer in the development of rural wireless networks in Canada. Wireless networks enable high-speed Internet services in areas that do not have access to high-speed Internet from cable companies or telephone (ADSL) networks. ABC’s first-generation wireless networks brought broadband to these unserved areas throughout B.C., and ABC has harnessed technological advances to upgrade and expand Internet services, bringing ever-faster Internet services to more homes and businesses in rural areas. Currently, ABC operates 178 sites, and has extended the reach of fibre-optic connectivity over a hundred remote communities.
In an aggressive move to address the present and future needs of broadband consumers, ABC recently announced a major expansion of its wireless broadband service in B.C.
“This upgrade is designed to meet the future needs of customers in the delivery of Internet, voice and video services to rural markets,” ABC Communications vice president Falko Kadenbach said.
“We are future-proofing your network with these upgrades.”
Partnering with Huawei Canada, a global leader in LTE (Long Term Evolution) broadband radio equipment, ABC is poised to deploy leading edge TD-LTE fixed wireless service throughout its operating area.
ABC has chosen Huawei Canada as a partner due to Huawei’s position as a global leader. With network deployments across Europe, Asia and Latin America, Huawei is a leader in wireless and network technology. Huawei’s LTE product is an industry standard and is used by carriers worldwide.
“Over the past year, telecom operators have embraced this innovative technology to deliver wireless telecommunications equal or better than traditional wire line services,” Sean Yang, president of Huawei Canada said.
The new LTE network, built on ABC’s licensed 3.5 GHz spectrum holding, will provide service to customers living within 20 km of an ABC site, and will scale to speeds of up to 50 Mbps.
ABC will begin rolling out 10 Mbps packages as the LTE network is constructed.
The availability of broadband Internet in B.C.’s rural areas is an important part of bridging the digital divide in Canada.
High-speed connectivity is a key economic driver in rural communities, bringing rural-based businesses closer to their existing markets and enabling access to new markets.
The social benefits to communities are significant: families and youth benefit from the access to academic resources; professionals benefit from the increased ease of doing business and access to training; and the community as a whole benefits as existing residents choose to stay once they need not decide between a rural lifestyle and Internet access.
“The communities we service see tangible benefits from high-speed access every day,” Kadenbach said.
“Our customers’ only complaint is that they want faster speeds. With the
new LTE network, we can deliver those speeds.”