Meanwhile, some Northern communities still rely on fax machines and telephones to communicate with the outside world.

For instance, just the school and one local person has Internet access in Colville Lake.

"It would be interesting to move up to the next stage in technology," said Colville Lake's band manager Joseph Kochon.

A solution might be on its way. Eight aboriginal corporations in the NWT find out Jan. 31 if they qualify for federal funding to develop business plans to bring high-speed Internet access into communities.

The Deline Land and Financial Group of Corporations applied on behalf of all communities in the Sahtu. If approved, Industry Canada will provide half the funds (up to $30,000) to develop a plan, that involves a request for proposals process.

Groups who didn't qualify or apply have a second chance in April.

"This is the biggest, most important communications project the North has seen in a number of years," said Deline's information technology manager, Sean Lynch.

If approved, the Deline Land and Financial Group of Corporations will likely write the business plan, said Lynch. Then it goes back to Industry Canada for a review. Funding to proceed further is available after this step.

Lynch is consulting with NorthwesTel and hopes communities in the Sahtu can eventually tap into NorthwesTel's ground network using microwave technology.

Ken Smith, manager of aboriginal relations for NorthwesTel, agreed the only feasible way to bring high speed access into small communities is through a microwave system.

The cost of satellite service to local residents is sky high in communities without a large customer base, he said.

NorthwesTel has installed a microwave system up to Norman Wells that runs along the Mackenzie River. But a microwave tower is needed within the Sahtu for communities like Colville Lake and Deline to tap into the system, he said.

In the meantime, NorthwesTel is bringing dial-up service into Deline in the next couple weeks. The service, which costs residents $25 a month for 100 hours of access, is just one step above the most primitive Internet service.

But it will save residents money because it's a local service. Long distance charges won't apply, said Smith.

"It's a big step for a lot of these communities," he said.

Unlike other communities in the Sahtu, Deline also has Internet access through Ardicom (an arm of NorthwesTel) in its government buildings such as the band and land corporation building.

Deline has developed a network that connects government buildings. Along with e-mail and Internet access, it allows employees to share files and do network printing. Lynch said he hopes to help other Sahtu communities create similar networks. The satellite service costs $2,000 a month, but it would allow people like Colville Lake's band manager Joseph Kochon to stop waiting by the fax machine.

And if broadband service comes to the Sahtu, the cost of high-speed Internet access for both community government and local residents will plummet.