Students, faculty and staff at six regional public post-secondary campus locations in B.C. will enjoy faster, higher quality, more reliable online services thanks to network connectivity upgrades to increase bandwidth to their institutions.

The upgrades will increase bandwidth from 2.5 to 10 times current levels and will benefit campuses in Golden and Invermere operated by College of the Rockies, and campuses in Hudson's Hope, Tumbler Ridge, Chetwynd and Dease Lake operated by Northern Lights College.

The increased bandwidth supports educational technologies required by today's learners, allowing institutions to expand their programming and instruction options to better serve the needs of students. For example, some campuses will gain a greater capacity to provide remote learning opportunities, allowing students to stay closer to home while they get the education, skills and training they need to succeed.

The infrastructure work required to increase bandwidth at these six campus locations is expected to be completed over the next few months.

This is the latest round of network connectivity upgrades that are benefitting public post-secondary institutions throughout the province. A series of similar upgrades were completed between April 2011 and October 2012.

Government has also identified additional upgrade priority locations and anticipates more will be completed by the end of fiscal 2013-14.

Quotes:

John Yap, Minister of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology -

"Working under the BC Jobs Plan with our partners in education, we're taking action to ensure our public post-secondary institutions have the infrastructure, latest technology and equipment they need to prepare learners for jobs in the knowledge economy."

"With these network upgrades, smaller, regional campus locations gain the bandwidth they need to expand and enrich educational opportunities for their students and communities."

Nicholas Rubidge, president of College of the Rockies -

"College of the Rockies serves learners and communities throughout our 45,000 square kilometre region. Expanding and enhancing our online educational capability is crucial to the success of many of our students. We greatly appreciate the provincial government's acknowledgement and support of the importance of educational technology to learners within our region and throughout British Columbia, and we thank the Province for this investment in Invermere and Golden."

Laurie Rancourt, president of Northern Lights College -

"These bandwidth upgrades come at a critical time for Northern Lights College as we continue to work with our community, industry and education partners on innovative approaches to meeting the education and skills training needs across northern British Columbia."

Quick Facts:

• Between April 2011 and October 2012 network connectivity upgrades were completed for regional campuses in Mackenzie, Powell River, Coquitlam, Nelson, Surrey, New Westminster, Vancouver (2), Prince Rupert, Cranbrook, Nanaimo, Fort Nelson, Kelowna, Lillooet, Grand Forks and Fort St. John.

• The connectivity upgrades increase bandwidth offered through the Provincial Learning Network (PLNet), a provincial communications data network that interconnects all public schools, colleges, teaching universities and institutes and provides them with a secure, managed, high-speed connection to government, to the Internet and to relevant educational programs and subject matter throughout British Columbia and around the world.

PLNet is a joint initiative of the Ministry of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology and the Ministry of Education.

Learn More:

Provincial Learning Network: http://www.bced.gov.bc.ca/plnet/

Ministry of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology: http://www.gov.bc.ca/aeit/

BCJobs Plan and Skills and Training Plan: http://www.bcjobsplan.ca/skills-and-training-plan/

Media Contact:

Dan Gilmore
Manager of Communications
Ministry of Advanced Education, Innovation and Technology
250 952-6400