High speed internet installations have begun

December 2025 is their deadline.

After two long years of financing woes and political wrangling, fibre optics are starting to be installed on the territory, which will bring high-speed Internet to the reserve for the first time ever.

“This is a delightful event for us,” said Jeff Thomas, owner of First Nations Cable and the driving force behind the project. “After two years of all (these) political issues we’ve been having, I bring good news. We can start our project.”

Installation started two weeks ago, he said.

They’ve been working in the Mohawk Road/First Line Road area and a second crew will start working on Fourth Line Road within the week, said Thomas.

“We’re just going to plug away until we get it done. We’ve got three years to get it done.”

“We hope to have it done in two years. This is phase two. This is the part that’s going to activate the homes. Within two months, we should be having customers on service.”

Elected Chief Mark Hill called it “really good news.”

“I’m glad to hear that things are underway. We all know the importance of this project and making sure all of our members and homes have good, quality (Internet) service.”

As with all rural communities, Six Nations has been plagued by slow Internet service since the inception of the world wide web.

The fibre optic installation is also kickstarting Martin’s ambition to improve wireless cellphone service across the territory, as well.

There are about five cell towers on Six Nations, according to Martin, that he’s looking to inspect with the help of engineers to deter- mine what work could, or should, be done to reinforce them for future cell service upgrades on the territory.

“We intend on running fibre to every tower which will help improve the issues with delays and distortions that local carriers face.”

The good part, he said, is that the cost of cell service would be much more affordable once they tackle that project.

Current cell rates in Canada are among the most expensive in the world and this would help alleviate that, he said.

“There’s a lot of people paying big dollars for not very good coverage.”

Martin said some people are paying $400 to $500 a month just for cell service.

He said he’s got a tower near his office and he recently signed a deal with Rogers to put an antenna on that tower.

The fibre optics can link to the tower, he said.

“What we’d like to do is bring in an engineer and look at these towers if (council’s) okay with it. We’d like to do an engineering report on the structure of the towers; make sure it’s up to par. Once we find that out I’d like to set up a deal to work with you guys and put a contract together.”

Chief Mark Hill lauded Martin’s idea.

“That’s creative.”

Martin said cell phone costs have gotten way out of hand.

“The price of cell services these days, it’s getting crazy. We want to just bring something in and create a package here. I think it’ll go over very well.”

Chief Hill asked that First Nations Cable provide a map to the community detailing the fibre optic project and cell tower service on the territory.

Martin said they were already planning that.

Council gave him the go ahead to start inspecting cell towers.