South Bruce Peninsula council has approved a wireless tower project for Oliphant and Wiarton that will provide service for areas that currently have gaps in coverage.
Councillors are set to hear a report from staff that recommends they support a project proposed by a company called ‘Shared Tower’ and Rogers Communications to provide 5G cellular service and high speed fixed wireless access for home internet to Oliphant and Wiarton.
The plan is to install a wireless and cellular tower at the Oliphant Dog Park and Wiarton Works Depot, the Bluewater Park Pool, Oliphant Dog Park, somewhere on the Oliphant Shoreline and the North Sauble Sands campground.
Staff also recommend council support Bruce County in the installation of high speed fibre optic cable along Sauble Falls Parkway from 6th Street North in Sauble Beach to the Oliphant Dog Park.
A staff report presented to council says, based on the success the company ‘Shared Tower’ experienced with its Sauble Beach mini pole cellular data project, the Town approached Shared Tower to see if they could address cellular data and internet gaps in the Oliphant area.
Staff say, as a result, Shared Tower has partnered with Rogers Communications to bring 5G cellular coverage and
high speed wireless access to the Oliphant area including what staff describe as “most if not all the surrounding islands.”
Staff say there is no cost to the Town associated with these projects and in fact, leasing the pole locations would produce about $20,000 in additional revenue for the Town.
The expected service activation date would be December 23rd 2022.