Doug Ashbury
Northern News Services

Iqaluit (Dec 06/99) - Nunanet Worldwide Communications Ltd. has teamed up with a group of southern companies to apply for Internet-related licensing from Industry Canada.

The consortium is seeking a licence for a specific range of bandwidth -- the range of frequencies within a given band -- to be regulated by Industry Canada.

Nunanet, an Iqaluit-based Internet service provider, joins Microcell Telecommunications Inc., Look Communications Inc., I.D. Internet, and Image Wireless Communications Inc. as partners in Inukshuk Internet Inc., which is seeking a licence to provide a wireless communications system nationwide.

Inukshuk Internet, a new company, wants a licence to supply 13 different service areas, nationwide, with high-speed Internet, data, voice and multimedia products.

The services fall under what is known as multipoint communications systems or MCS. MCS is a general term used to describe radio systems that have a main hub communicating with different subscribers.

In June, Industry Canada sought licence applications for the 13 service areas.

The move followed a large number of applications for MCS delivery across a specific range of bandwidth.

An Inukshuk spokesperson said their company's application, one of 38, was the only one covering all provinces and territories (the 13 service areas). Other applications covered individual service areas.

"Given the rapid growth expected for high-speed Internet products, our total investment for the first five years may exceed $540 million, creating over 500 jobs along the way," Inukshuk chairman Andre Tremblay said. Inukshuk is projecting it will reach 59,000 people in its first year rising to 757,000 in fifth year.

Inukshuk's schedule is to cover half of Canadian households in the first year and reach all 13 service areas by the end of the third year.

Montreal-based Microcell, a provider of personnel communications services, has four subsidiaries, one of which provides communications services under the FIDO trade name.

Look Communications, with licences in southern Ontario and Quebec, distributes digital television services and high-speed Internet access.

I.D. Internet has 150,000 customers from British Columbia to Quebec.

Image Wireless, licensed to offer MCS in Saskatchewan since 1995, broadcasts over its MCS system to most of the province.

Nunanet's Adamee Itorcheak could not be reached Thursday for comment.