Fredericton, NB – In a groundbreaking initiative, the City of Fredericton’s telecommunications company e-Novations announced it will offer commercial Internet to Fredericton businesses at an astonishing 75 per cent price advantage over commercial rates available in Atlantic Canada beginning this fall.
The eNovations price offering will be Canada’s best value commercial Internet. With this radical price advantage, Fredericton expects to spark strong interest from Atlantic Canada’s knowledge-sector entrepreneurs.
“This is a historic opportunity for Fredericton. It’s a game changer. It will accelerate economic development. Commercial Internet in Atlantic Canada can cost up to four times what it does in Toronto. Today, we’re neutralizing that historic disadvantage and creating an impressive value proposition no other City in Atlantic Canada has been able to match,” said Mayor Brad Woodside. “In fact, no one else in Canada can.”
The pioneering e-Novations’ internet service, to be marketed under its GoFredNet brand name, is made possible by e-Novations own 100-plus kilometres of fibre optic network and leveraging the wholesale buying power of its substantial existing customer base.
The bold GoFredNet offering is the latest innovative product from the City’s e-Novations, which also operates North America’s first free community WiFi network. The move solidifies the City’s position as a Smart City innovator and “Atlantic Canada’s Start Up Capital.” The initiative aligns with the Fredericton region’s Vision2020 economic development strategy.
GoFredNet contracts to purchase bulk Internet from reliable national wholesalers at a very attractive rates and then passes those savings to the City’s business community.
GoFredNet is aimed at creating a world-class environment for Atlantic Canadian entrepreneurs and Fredericton’s dynamic startup community.
“Today we’re signaling that we’re serious about being Atlantic Canada’s Start Up Capital. This is great news for our incubators and accelerators of startups. We’re the only place in Eastern Canada with these rates. That’s a huge competitive advantage,” said Mayor Woodside.
“We’re making a straightforward, bold statement with this initiative. If you’re growing a business that needs bandwidth, Fredericton is the only place to be,” he said. “We are now ready to compete nationally and internationally,” added Mayor Woodside.
e-Novations CEO Maurice Gallant said the initiative will be of particular interest to the City’s knowledge sector.
“GoFredNet is a big advantage for large users of Internet. A one-time connection to GoFredNet can cost $3,000-$5,000. This is quickly offset by the huge reductions in rates,” said Gallant.
However, the City will waive this connection fee to GoFredNet for incubators and accelerators of startup businesses, like the Knowledge Park’s new AcCelR8 centre and the new mLAB Canada in downtown Fredericton.
Thirteen years ago, the City had the vision to create its own telecommunications company. It now delivers a full suite of GoFred connectivity services to businesses like Caris, BulletProof Solutions, BrunNet and a number of agencies such as the National Research Council and NB Power.
The GoFredNet opportunity was the result of many years of investment and community cooperation, said Gallant.
“GoFred’s mission has been to ensure competitive data connectivity options are available in Fredericton. We accomplished this first with customer-managed point-to-point fibre optic services and now, after years of persistence, we’ve managed to do the same with commercial internet rates,” said Gallant. “As a result we’re helping create a community of innovators.”