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Tranzeo Wireless opening Whistler network for business

Whistler could have the most broadband Internet connectivity of any town in North America within a few years, if it doesn’t have it already.

Whistler could have the most broadband Internet connectivity of any town in North America within a few years, if it doesn’t have it already.

The local broadband market is about to get a little more crowded in the New Year when Tranzeo Wireless Technologies Inc., a Maple Ridge-based company, starts to formally offer its services to businesses and residents.

Their services include high-speed wireless Internet and Voice Over IP (Vancouver phone numbers only at this time, international to follow). Video conferencing and IP television (IPTV) are expected to follow in 2006, as is the ability to use dedicated commercial frequencies.

According to Rob Campbell, general manager of the Whistler division of Tranzeo Wireless Network Services, there are now transmission towers on the peaks of Whistler and Blackcomb, as well as in Function Junction. A fourth and fifth tower will be built in the spring to serve the Alpine Meadows and Brio subdivisions as well as to provide full coverage from one end of town to the other.

The same towers and technology, which were developed in Maple Ridge, were also installed and tested in Black Tusk and Pinecrest over the past year to test the impact of weather conditions, forest density and mountains on the signal strength and reliability. According to Campbell, the technology passed the test.

"The feedback from our customers there has been good, there was no impact whatsoever from snow, rain and wind," he said. "Initially, we were worried about ice build-up on our radio transmitters, particularly at the peak of the mountains, so we installed heaters in each transmitter. So far we haven’t had any issues."

The download speed of the basic Tranzeo service is comparable to or higher than other Whistler high-speed services, according to Campbell, unless you specifically order a higher bandwidth connection.

Tranzeo provided a higher bandwidth system to Bombardier this fall during the company’s Whistler conference.

Unlike other providers, Campbell says Tranzeo’s technology offers customers the same upload and download speeds, which typically vary with other providers. There’s also no limit as to how much information you can send or receive in a month, or extra charges past a certain limit, and Campbell says the Tranzeo service will be priced competitively with other services.

Campbell admits there is some overlap with existing Internet services offered by Telus and Whistler Cable, but believes Tranzeo’s high-speed service offers several advantages. One of those advantages is a fully monitored network, which allows Tranzeo to "see every transmitter or receiver device, whether at a business or a home, and know if there is a problem with their signal."

Another advantage is that Tranzeo’s service can be customized for businesses and customers to offer dedicated wireless frequencies and higher bandwith services.

Tranzeo has several clients in town already, including the Whistler Conference Centre, Intrawest and Fairmont Chateau Whistler. They are marketing to businesses initially and will be launching a residential service at some point in the next year.

It was a costly setup. The Internet signal, which originates in the Lower Mainland, is transmitted to Whistler via a series of towers along the Sea to Sky Highway. In total, the signal travels approximately 120 km from downtown Vancouver to the peak of Whistler Mountain, where it is beamed into Whistler Valley.

When asked why Tranzeo would pay to deliver another high-speed Internet service to a town of just 10,000 permanent residents when there were already two major providers in town and another one on the way – Bell Canada is committed to running a fiber optic line to Whistler for the Olympics – Campbell said location is everything.

"It’s a high-profile location," he said. "It’s a way to showcase our technology and all of our value-added services. There is a need for what we have to offer and how we offer it.

"When we say to a customer, dealer or investor that we have a major project in Whistler, they want to come here to check it out. They’re not going to jump on a plane in Toronto to go to Spuzzum, but they will come to Whistler."

In addition to Whistler’s reputation, Tranzeo also saw a need in town for the kind of service they can offer.

"We saw a need for reliable, service-oriented product up here for everyone that wants it. We offer solutions that homeowners and businesses are looking for that currently are not being met," said Campbell.

Tranzeo recently inked an agreement with First Nations communities in conjunction with the First Nations Technology Council of B.C., to beam a high-speed, high bandwidth service into the Fraser Canyon. The service will connect First Nations communities from Boston Bar through to Spence’s Bridge, a distance of roughly 85 km.

Tranzeo is also in talks with other First Nations communities because of the ability to beam the signal into remote areas without wires and poles.

There is no website for Tranzeo in Whistler yet, although the company has set up an office in Function Junction and will begin to promote services within the next few weeks.

For more information visit www.tranzeo.com or call toll free at 866-872-6936.