A local tech analyst is applauding the London Economic Development Corporation's plan to make fibre-optic internet available to more businesses.
The LEDC is moving forward with its pilot project that will subsidize the costs of hooking up super-high-speed internet in buildings that don't already have it.
They hope this will nurture current technology-based businesses in London and encourage new ones to open.
"Bandwidth is life for today's online businesses," says tech analyst Carmi Levy. "If you do not have high speed connectivity to the internet, you may as well not be in business."
Levy, who works for Voices.com, says the firm already has fibre-optic internet and has benefited greatly from it.
Some older downtown buildings don't have access to the higher-speed option. "If the architecture is 100 years old, they couldn't have foreseen fibre-optics as being an option in the future." Levy says, "It's important to know what you're getting into before you sign the lease."
The upgrade will be focused on Dundas and King streets between Wellington and Ridout. The area may seem small, but Levy says you have to start somewhere.
"Invest a little bit of money, figure out what works, learn your lessons and make your mistakes. And expand from there."
The two-year pilot project will cost about $220,000. The LEDC will cover most of the installation costs.
**this story was written by Brooke Foster, a student in the Broadcast Journalism program at Fanshawe College. Brooke is currently performing an internship with BlackburnNews.com