A public Wi-Fi system is something the Township of Madawaska Valley may be looking into in the future.
The township’s Development and Property Committee discussed the potential for installing Wi-Fi in public areas in the Madawaska Valley like in the downtown areas of Barry’s Bay and Combermere.
The committee brought up the current infrastructure for the internet in the area pointing out there is still no fiber service in the area.
Currently most internet connections are via the phone-lines offering up to only 15 megabits-per-second.
Recreation and Community Development Coordinator Paul Nopper says satellite services aren’t where they need to be and there are security concerns and liability associated with large-area public Wi-Fi.
The committee maybe looking into it further once the Eastern Ontario Regional Network has a timeline on fiber-speed internet service.