Yannick Michaud – Le Journal Saint-François
Targo Communications officially connected the D’Avignon Park sector in Hinchinbrooke to its fibre optic network on September 24.
To mark the occasion, over 700 residences were linked to previously inaccessible high-speed internet services. A progress tour was organized in the region, attended by a representative from the office of Gilles Bélanger, the parliamentary assistant to the premier (high-speed internet) and MNA for Orford.
After having deployed and supported a vast wireless internet network in the Haut-Saint-Laurent, Roussillon, and Jardins-de-Napierville regions, Targo Communications is pursuing its goal to offer high-performance connectivity at a competitive price to local communities that have been shunned by telecom giants. “It will become less expensive per month. There will be a more accessible price for customers,” says Targo president Louis-Paul Bourdon.
Mandated by partially subsidized federal and provincial programs, Targo Communications is working to bridge the digital divide that affects area residents, businesses and institutions.
The only appropriate technology
The abundance of mature trees in the D’Avignon Park area makes it difficult to provide adequate internet services. The environment is not conducive to receiving a clear and consistent signal; fibre optics is the only appropriate technology. “Otherwise, it is very unstable. A gust of wind and you lose the signal,” explains Bourdon.
To meet the growing reliance on the internet by residents for work and entertainment, while addressing significant telecommunications shortages that have been affecting the area, Targo Communications is committed to maintaining and even increasing its ambitious construction pace.
“We are aiming for an 80 per cent penetration rate, which is very good in a rural area,” says Bourdon, who is also a representative of the Alliance des télécommunicateurs indépendants du Québec.
As of now, Hinchinbrooke residents can access high-speed internet services with a potential of up to one gigabyte per second (Gbps), which is far superior to what is offered by all the other cable companies in the area. «This is unprecedented in the area,» says Bélanger, whose sentiments are echoed by Huntingdon MNA Claire IsaBelle.
Residential installation of high-speed internet can now be booked by contacting Targo Communications customer service at 514-448-0773.
