The benefits that a municipal broadband project bring to a community are large and numerous. As well as providing better quality of life through greater choice and quality of information, communication and entertainment services, high speed broadband lays a foundation for increased productivity and economic development.

Canada has been well served by its first generation broadband, which delivered both better connection speeds than dial-up, plus an always-on connection. This has enabled a foundation of innovative services that have subsequently changed the way many of us live and work. How we use the internet today would simply not be practical or even possible with dial-up connections.

The world is approaching a second revolution with the advent of fibre connectivity allowing speeds of 100Mbit/s or even 1000Mbit/s in both download and upload directions. Such speeds will be delivered more reliably and with less operating cost and environmental impact than first generation broadband networks.  Benefits to communities that have such capability will encompass positive economic, social and environmental outcomes.

Rural Alberta communities, like Medicine Hat, are part of a vast competitive global market. This presents itself as both a challenge and an opportunity to the community. While many traditional businesses and enterprises are attracted to the scale offered by larger centers, many of the new opportunities in the knowledge economy are not location specific, as long as the location has world-class connectivity. The availability of high speed data connectivity will be an increasingly critical and deciding factor determining where people live and work, and where businesses choose to locate.

High speed broadband lays the foundation for increasing productivity and stimulating economic development. The availability of high speed broadband will attract knowledgeable workers and  businesses that need large bandwidth, such as call centres and engineering companies.

Many studies have attempted to quantify the economic stimulus achieved by the availability of next generation broadband infrastructure. While there is a considerable variation between studies that reflect the different characteristics of a community, as well as different approaches and assumptions in the study, there is widespread agreement that the economic stimulus measured in terms of increased GPD can be many times the investment required to build the infrastructure.

As well as benefiting larger businesses the effect of such stimulation will be an improved environment for encouraging new, local, home-based business start-ups which operate over the Internet.  Local technical jobs will be created and young adults will not be forced to leave the community to pursue career opportunities.

Helping the local economy to prosper, such a network will help retain local jobs and businesses. Investment in this infrastructure is an investment in local people, who will in turn support local businesses.

 High speed broadband offers opportunities for better lifestyles. With better connectivity people have better access to distant friends and family, greater education and work options and often the on-demand nature of broadband allows people to better take control of their  lives, to work and play according to their own schedules.

A number of studies have shown that home buyers value a fibre-connected home at $5,000 - $15,000 above non-connected homes. On a city scale this translates into much increased attractiveness for families considering the move. New families of "knowledge workers" and telecommuters will be attracted to the community, to get away from the cities, traffic, and to enjoy a healthier lifestyle. Their presence will not only stimulate the local economy but enhance the social well being of all residents.

With an active and tech-savvy community of health professionals, smaller communties like Medicine Hat stand to gain enormously in terms of the advanced medical opportunities that could be realised through an advanced broadband network.

Enabling advanced tele-health services not only means residents of rural Alberta communites could get better access to specialist services that were otherwise only available after a long road trip to a larger center, but also local resident specialists may be able offer services to a much larger market without feeling pressured to move away from smaller centres.

In Nuenen, Holland, which has had FTTH network for several years, a number of innovative services allow older people to live independently in their own homes. Fiber connectivity provides instant access to family, loved ones and professional care via video consultation and regular check-ins.

Much like health, a high-bandwidth network means that you no longer have to be in the classroom to be able to fully engage in the learning experience.

Students of in the smaller communties of Alberta can get access to a much larger range of education courses and experiences without having to relocate permanently. Likewise, specialist education professionals could be located in communities like Medicine Hat without being limited by a smaller local pool of students.

There are practical applications for more reliable broadband networks to help reduce carbon emissions.

Robust infrastructure enables Medicine Hat businesses to take advantage of significant and measurable cost savings by reducing travel and fuel consumption. The utilisation of telecommuting and video conferencing can create substantial cost savings and productivity enhancements.