Product Code Database
SSi Canada (formerly known as SSi Micro Ltd.) is a Canadian Wireless network broadband Internet access primarily serving remote areas that lack terrestrial service options. SSi was established in 1990 by Jeffrey Philipp and is headquartered in Yellowknife, capital of the Northwest Territories. SSi is also a provider of Satellite Communication services, offered in locations that do not have terrestrial service options. They offer turnkey Internet systems to other ISPs. They have a local market serving all 25 communities in Nunavut and several in the Northwest Territories. These two territories account for 1/3 of Canada's landmass covering . They also have an international market including Africa, Indonesia and Kiribati.
SSi Canada has used the Motorola Expedience[1] line of product to deliver licensed broadband Internet services for many years, transmitted over a licensed spectrum of 2.5-2.6 Hertz in Canada. The Expedience system consist of that deliver a wireless signal throughout the community, and of residential subscriber units (or RSUs) that are provided to customers, which receive the signal from the base stations. in 2016-17, SSi upgraded their network to 4G-LTE wireless and mobile technology.
SSI Micro was one of the first Internet Service Providers (ISP's) in Northern Canada. They opened a branch in Yellowknife in 1995.
SSi often uses Connecting the North and "People. Ideas. Technology." as their advertising slogans.
In March 2004, SSi launched the first commercial Canadian implementation of 2.5 GHz NLOS (non line of sight) wireless broadband Internet service in Yellowknife.
Industry Canada's Broadband for Rural and Northern Development (BRAND) program became the catalyst for the creation of Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation (NBDC), a not for profit group tasked with identifying the Nunavut's broadband needs. At this time, outside of government worker connections in the 11 largest communities, Internet was not readily available to Nunavut residents.
NBDC issued a comprehensive request for proposal (RFP) to vendors and put the financing together for building a network to serve the needs of the people of Nunavut. SSi won this RFP in the spring of 2004. As a result of winning this RFP, SSi designed and deployed the Qiniq network
In 2005, SSi officially launched the Qiniq network. This network provides broadband services to all 25 communities in Nunavut. Inuit comprise 85% of the population of Nunavut and are avid users of broadband services. Broadband is used to improve the educational, economic, social and cultural opportunities in the territory. Many e-commerce and informational web sites are now readily available online from businesses based in Nunavut.
The Qiniq network is managed centrally by SSi out of their head office in Yellowknife. SSi maintains the satellite infrastructure, the wireless networks, all back-end hardware as well as the billing and management.
SSi does not sell to end users directly. Qiniq services are offered in each Nunavut community by a local resident, which are referred to as community service providers, or "CSP". In each community there is a local resident who is trained and contracted to provide services in their respective community. The CSPs sign up users, take payments and provide technical support to their clients. CSPs deal with SSi in Yellowknife directly for their training and support. CSPs provide Qiniq clients the ability to deal with someone local, typically a long-time Northern resident who understands the culture and language of their community.
SSi offers services in the following communities in Nunavut, under the brand name Qiniq:
| Gjoa Haven | Kugaaruk | Cambridge Bay | Sanikiluaq | Baker Lake | Arctic Bay | Rankin Inlet | Taloyoak |
| Kugluktuk | Igloolik | Hall Beach | Cape Dorset | Coral Harbour | Clyde River | Naujaat | Pangnirtung |
| Kimmirut | Pond Inlet | Arviat | Whale Cove | Chesterfield Inlet | Grise Fiord | Qikiqtarjuaq | Resolute |
In 2006, SSi Launched the AirWare network. This network was similar in design to the Qiniq network and provided broadband services to 30 communities in the Northwest Territories. The AirWare network also had a local representative in each of the communities that processed payments and provided technical support to their local clients. As with the Qiniq network, the CSPs provided AirWare clients the ability to deal with someone local, typically a long-time northern resident who understands the culture and language of their community. However, federal funding for the Airware project ceased in 2010, and over the next few years SSI had no choice but to gradually wind down service in those communities.
SSi offered services in the following communities in the Northwest Territories, under the brand name AirWare:
| Wekweeti | Behchoko | Ulukhaktok | Lutselk'e | Colville Lake | Sachs Harbour | Paulatuk | Dettah |
| Deline | Fort Providence | Gamèti | Fort Simpson | Hay River | Nahanni Butte | N'Dilo | Whatì |
In 2010, SSi was selected by the Government of Nunavut to provide, maintain and operate its Wide Area Network (WAN), ensuring Internet and Intranet connectivity for all government departments.
In 2012, SSi established its own state-of-the-art ground station satellite teleport in Ottawa. Having previously leased southern teleport facilities, SSi now had its own location connecting the north to the world's Internet backbone.
|
|
