Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

NNSL (Apr 12/99) - Four Northern-based companies are hoping a new joint venture makes technology waves in Nunavut.

Arctic Logic, a partnership between technology companies PolarNet, Nunanet, Sakku Arctic Technologies and SSI Micro, will be providing Nunavut with communications access through digital and satellite links.

PolarNet is based in Cambridge Bay while Nunanet is Iqaluit-based. Sakku Technologies is based in Rankin Inlet while SSI Micro is based in Fort Providence.

"For a few years now we've watched money go south, so we created this company which is equally owned by the four smaller companies. This adds the power to compete with southern companies," PolarNet's Darrell Ohokannoak said.

"The wolf that hunts alone gets one rabbit. We're going after something bigger."

Arctic Logic combines technology companies based in Nunavut's three regions with SSI Micro.

The new firm intends to provide training, computer hardware and software sales and support, Internet services and other network expertise.

"The challenge is how to assist Nunavut in the development and application of its information technologies, to provide it with expertise necessary to succeed in the next millennium," Sandy James, Arctic Logic's Keewatin representative, said.

Nunanet's Adamee Itorcheak -- Arctic Logic's Baffin representative -- said, "The solution as we see it is to bring the largest and most knowledgable teams together with the goal of providing seamless and fully-integrated information technology solutions to government and business in Nunavut, their customers and suppliers."

PolarNet, a division of the Kitikmeot Corp., has introduced Internet services to remote Northern communities such as Kugluktuk, Cambridge Bay, Gjoa Haven, Taloyoak and Pelly Bay. Satellite earth stations were installed in each of these locations.

PolarNet provides local and remote technical support to several Kitikmeot communities with an on-site Inuit technician.

Sakku Arctic Technologies is a division of Sakku Investments, the Keewatin Inuit development corporation. Sakku Technologies is the only Internet Service Provider (ISP) in the Keewatin region and primarily services Rankin.

Nunanet, the Baffin's first ISP, provides the only Internet connections to the Baffin Region. It also offers Web site development. The company has connected Iqaluit to the rest of Canada through Yellowknife and Montreal.

SSI Micro supplies computer technology, Internet service and digital communications. The company pioneered the use of high-speed, wireless radio data communications in the North and has implemented 35 installations in the past five years. Over two-thirds of the North's ISP systems use SSI Micro's Internet management system.