High-speed: Get your request in now

Our reporting on the Prescott-Russell broadband project may have left something to be desired: a louder call for your participation.
What hasn't been but should have been the lead of almost every story is this: call now to be sure that you are on a waiting list for high-speed and tell your neighbours to do the same.
The July 2009 funding announcement which included $55 million from each of the federal and provincial governments has just been topped up by another $190,000 toward the completion of the request for proposal for the multi-million dollar project.
We recently announced that the united counties has chosen Bell Aliant as the service provider, but what remains to be done is determine the areas to be covered by the service. The other element that is important to remember is that while this funding will bring access to high-speed internet service to some areas, it will be up to individuals and companies to sign up and pay for the service. The millions of dollars which are being spent are only to install the infrastructure; compare it to installing natural gas lines. The service is there, but you will have to pay for it.
Counties economic development and tourism coordinator Sylvain Charlebois underlines how important broadband is for economic development and that this project will be one of the biggest of the counties' undertakings this year.
It is expected to take three years to fully complete the network but many will begin to receive access and higher capacities as it is built out.
Analysis shows that more than 200,000 people and businesses have poor or no access to the internet across the Eastern Ontario region, which includes 13 regional municipalities  with a population of about one million people (excluding the City of Ottawa). To date, about 200 people in Prescott and Russell counties have contacted the united counties to get their request for high-speed access on the record.
This is just another of those instances where those who follow the issues and are informed will be ahead of the game while those who ignore decisions being made at the municipal and county level do so at their own risk.
There are no flyers, door-to-door salespeople or advertisements to invite you to register your request for high-speed internet. There are no telethons, campaigns at our local schools or letters being sent home with children.
But we can spread the word and each of you reading this can help. If you want more information about the project, or want to be put on a list to find out if your area will receive service or not, please call Charlebois at 1-800-667-6307, ext. 8100 or email: scharlebois@prescott-russell.on.ca
Perhaps in a few weeks, we can report that thousands of you have jammed up Charlebois' inbox with emails.
Email or call the request line now.                       L.S.