Visitors accessing the public Wi-Fi at Calgary’s Alastair Ross Technology Centre (ARTC) will now experience some of the fastest internet in Calgary. The ARTC — which offers affordable office space and business advisory services to over 100 local start-ups — has recently connected to Alberta’s Research and Education Network to provide innovators with an invaluable high-speed and high-bandwidth resource. The ARTC’s public Wi-Fi is capable of achieving up to 400 Megabits per second (Mbps), with the potential to upgrade to over 1 Gigabit per second (Gbps).
This Wi-Fi connection — nicknamed “CY-Fi” — is part of the CyberaNet for Innovators program offered through Cybera, Alberta’s not-for-profit technology accelerator. The goal of this program is to support the growth of new digital enterprises in the province by providing startups with access to high-speed, unlimited bandwidth.
“We see internet connectivity as one of the most important business infrastructure needs of the 21st Century — as vital as roads or electricity,” says Robin Winsor, president and CEO of Cybera. “By giving even a few entrepreneurs access to unlimited bandwidth, we can help support the growth of new companies that are building leading software, apps or online services. This in turn demonstrates to all Albertans the necessity of bringing this kind of fibre connectivity to every community.”
“The ARTC is dedicated to supporting innovation-driven businesses at all stages of development,” says Crystal Raymond, manager of the Alastair Ross Technology Centre. “Interconnectivity is an integral service that our visitors and clients expect from our centre. We partnered with Cybera to provide this service, as they are recognized leaders within the digital technology space, but also because we share the same mandate in supporting the growth of new companies.”
To find out more about the services that the Alastair Ross Technology Centre offers for technology companies, including The Inc., a co-working space for budding tech entrepreneurs, visit www.innovatecalgary.com.
About Cybera
Cybera is a not-for-profit technology-neutral organization responsible for driving Alberta’s economic growth through the use of digital technology. Its core role is to oversee the development and operations of Alberta’s cyberinfrastructure — the advanced system of networks and computers that keeps government, educational institutions, not-for-profits, business incubators and entrepreneurs at the forefront of technological change.
About the Alastair Ross Technology Centre
The Alastair Ross Technology Centre (ARTC) is located within the University of Calgary’s Research Park and is dedicated to supporting technology companies through offering flexible leasing terms, full suite of business services and virtual tenancy. Over 40 technology companies headquarter their business at the ARTC, and over 60 entrepreneurs actively access ARTC services through the Corporate ID program.