It's is one of Bell's largest-ever infrastructure projects which will be closely coordinated with the City of Montreal, it has also been claimed that this innovative project will make Quebec one of the most-connected broadband jurisdictions in North America. After months of speculation - Bell officially announced its intentions to invest $854m to bring direct fiber links and the fastest internet speeds to be available to more and more businesses throughout Montreal. George Cope, President and CEO of BCE and Bell Canada expressed his delight at the announcement of the deal - and declared that the investment will significantly increase innovation and economic growth in the city.
He said, "Bell was founded in Montréal in 1880 and ever since we have led the way in delivering the latest communications innovations to the city and the country. Now, our plan to directly connect more than a million homes and businesses here with the fastest broadband fibre technology will ensure Montréal's place at the forefront of global Smart Cities. Bell's leadership in next-generation networks has transformed our company into the growth leader in broadband Internet, TV and wireless. By connecting everyone in Montréal with the best in broadband, Bell is enabling the benefits of increased innovation and economic growth for our home city now and into the future."
These sentiments were echoed by the political establishment with Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre who claimed that the new investment will ensure that the city will rank among the best in broadband connections in the world. In addition to this, he said the projects represents 'tremendous economic potential'. He said, "I'm delighted that our city will soon rank among the best in broadband connections and ultra-fast downloading and uploading speeds. There is a direct and positive correlation between access to an ultra-fast Internet network and a community's economic development. Especially for a city like Montréal, known for its dynamic digital sector and the expertise of its cutting-edge industries like video gaming, aerospace and health technologies, today's announcement packs tremendous economic potential."
The Mayor disclosed that his administration began the process in 2013 - they identified the need to position Montreal as an innovative digital city in a bid to entice and attract private companies to setup base in the area. The latest investment will no doubt only serve to enhance that attraction to even more leading-edge businesses.
Bell has announced collaborations with a large number of local suppliers such as Asplundh, G-TEK, TCI and Telecom in order to complete the project. The organizations expansion plans aim to install more than 7,000KM's of new fiber and upgrade 25 central offices across Montréal. It has been further disclosed that 90% of Bell's network in the city is on aerial structures already in place, which will help to speed the deployment of the new fiber links.