Beacon Initiative

Beacon Initiative Launched

In a coast to coast broadcast on April 5, 1994 the Stentor Group of telecommunications companies announced a joint initiative to bring the information highway to all Canadians. The companies will pool their resources to upgrade their local, regional, and national networks to provide multimedia services into homes, offices, hospitals, and schools across the country.

Under the banner of the Beacon Initiative, the Stentor companies outlined their plans and rationale to help bring the information highway to Canadian businesses and consumers. The central theme of the initiative is an open, collaborative effort with all interested players to bring enhanced interactive data, image, and video services to Canadians.

The joint activities include:

an 8 billion upgrade of the local telephone networks over 10 years to provide broadband capability for multimedia; a $500 million enhancement program over six years to provide seamless national connectivity;
creation of a new company to supply multimedia services and applications; and
initiation of a venture capital fund - possibly to reach $50 million - to assist companies developing multimedia applications and products for the information highway.

To connect Canadians on a regional and national level, the Stentor companies will capitalize on their two existing national fibre routes. Over the next six years, on a national basis, the Stentor companies will deploy approximately 100 ATM (Asynchronous Transfer Mode) switches and other electronics associated with multimedia delivery. This equipment, forming the heart of the broadband capability, will evolve existing fibre optic networks to full "Information Highway" status.

Stentor is an alliance of Canada's major telephone companies. The nine owner companies are: BC TEL, AGT Limited, SaskTel, Manitoba Telephone System, Bell Canada, NBTel, Maritime Tel & Tel, Island Telephone and Newfoundland Telephone.