FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JULY 26, 2017
Canada C3 partners with SSI Micro to Make Communications History
Pioneering broadband connectivity for coast to coast to coast sailing expedition
GATINEAU, QC – SSi Micro Ltd. (“SSi”), the North’s premier Internet service provider and the developer-operator of Nunavut’s QINIQ network, has partnered with the Canada C3 Expedition to make communications history. SSi is delivering broadband Internet aboard the 220-foot Canada C3 vessel, a former Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker, as it sails north along the Atlantic coast, across the Arctic and down the Pacific west coast. This is the first ever voyage of its kind in Canada, and the on board communications team is able to share daily videos, live broadcasts, incredible photos and more to millions of Canadians using satellite broadband connectivity.
Canada C3 is an epic 150-day, 23,000 km sailing journey from Toronto to Victoria via the Northwest Passage to celebrate Canada’s 150t h Anniversary of Confederation. Through this unprecedented expedition, Canada C3 is celebrating our environment, working towards reconciliation, engaging youth, sharing the stories of diverse communities across the country and connecting Canadians from coast to coast to coast.
Most seafaring vessels in the North Atlantic, North Pacific and Arctic waters are limited to intermittent Ku-band satellite coverage for minimum data usage such as emails and text messages, with transmission speed rarely exceeding 128 kilobits per second. In order to meet the unprecedented communications requirements of the Canada C3 Project, with daily uploads of high data content such as video and photos, and to allow 60 passengers and crew to engage in regular Internet and social media activity, SSi is providing an innovative solution to achieve much more robust connectivity. Using a 2.4 metre diameter C-band antenna equipped with auto-tracking electronics and gyro-stabilizing mechanics, SSi is able to lock the ship onto a C-band satellite that covers all of Canada, and deliver speeds up to 10 megabits per second – almost 80 times better than the standard marine connection for ships in this northern region!
“Canada C3 is all about rediscovering our nation through its amazing people and diverse environment, and sharing all that we experience with millions of Canadians on every day of the expedition,” said Geoff Green, Canada C3 expedition leader. “This is a unique and immense communications project requiring an innovative communications solution. The SSi Micro team has been amazing, eagerly embracing the challenge and donating considerable time, resources and capacity. They are a vital partner, without whom this project would simply not be possible.”
“SSi is thrilled to be involved with Canada C3. Delivering broadband to a moving platform, at really high latitudes like the Northwest Passage, comes with significant challenges. Fortunately, we have always had a healthy disrespect for the impossible, and were immediately intrigued by the opportunity to make telecom history,” said Jeff Philipp, Founder and CEO of SSi Micro. “SSi is a natural partner for this incredible project celebrating Canada’s 150t h anniversary – we’re Canadian, we’re northern, and we have been breaking the communications mould for over 25 years.”
About Canada C3 : Canada C3 is a Signature Project for Canada’s 150th Anniversary of Confederation in 2017. The centerpiece is an epic 150-day sailing journey from Toronto to Victoria via the Northwest Passage. Through this unprecedented expedition, Canada C3 is celebrating our environment, working towards reconciliation, engaging youth, sharing the stories of diverse communities across the country and connecting Canadians from coast to coast to coast.
Four key Canada 150 themes are guiding the Canada C3 expedition: Diversity and Inclusion, Reconciliation, Youth Engagement and the Environment. Local heroes, innovative projects and close-knit communities across the country are undertaking creative initiatives within these four themes and actively building a prosperous future for Canada. Canada C3 will showcase these inspiring heroes, projects and communities from Atlantic to Arctic to Pacific.
Participants on board the ship are a diverse group of remarkable Canadians, including scientists, artists, Indigenous Elders, historians, community leaders, youth, journalists and educators. Using art, music, research and storytelling, participants are elevating our collective knowledge and helping to build human connections.
For more information, see www.canadac3.ca .
About SSi : Headquartered in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, and with a satellite teleport and network operations centre in Ottawa, SSi designs, builds and operates telecommunications networks around the world. SSi understands first-hand the challenges faced in providing effective and affordable communications services to remote and outlying areas. SSi has launched broadband service into many markets where the Internet previously did not exist, and provides a competitive alternative to the incumbent operator in many other small and remote markets.
SSi has deployed advanced satellite and local broadband wireless facilities throughout Nunavut and in communities of the Northwest Territories, an area spanning over three million square kilometres. The network uses state-of-the-art full mesh connectivity and supports broadband Internet, voice and videoconferencing technologies. SSi has also made extensive investments into last mile infrastructure in order to upgrade all 25 communities in Nunavut with 4G-LTE and 2G-GSM technologies to offer fixed and mobile voice and broadband services.
For more information, see www.ssimicro.com
Contact:
Peter Wall
Communications Team Lead, Canada C3
Tel: 819-775-3334
Cell: 647-688-3622
Email: peter@canadac3.ca