How do we turn the capital into an even smarter city? That’s the question hiboo networks, Ottawa’s newest fibre-optic network provider has set out to answer.
As a growing business hub, home to several big players and Canada’s largest technology park, connectivity in Ottawa-Gatineau is more important than ever before.
Recently, surrounded by local business leaders at the monthly Mayor’s Breakfast, hiboo networks announced the general availability of its services on its secure, high-speed network, designed specifically to meet the needs of Ottawa-Gatineau’s business community – both now and into the future.
Owned by Hydro Ottawa Holding Inc. hiboo is a brand new, state-of-the-art fibre network that will provide businesses in the area with a high level of bandwidth, flexibility and reliability they need to stay connected.
Hiboo’s powerful network deploys hundreds of kilometers of fibre, and can reach thousands of businesses in the Ottawa-Gatineau region. “Hiboo is bringing a new, hyper-local option to the table, unlike anything we’ve seen before,” said Christopher Emery, general manager at hiboo networks.
“What really attracted me to hiboo is that we are starting with a clean slate, with no legacy technology in place,” said Emery. “When you start with a fresh page, you get to cast a new culture, a new attitude towards customer service and you’re able to employ the latest technology.”
Technology built for the future
One of the most exciting things about hiboo’s network is that this infrastructure has been designed from end to end with the future in mind.
Using the latest fibre-optic technology, hiboo networks will offer enterprise grade internet, ethernet and wavelength services and has the speed, security and reliability to be a catalyst for smart city initiatives such as 5G connectivity, autonomous vehicles and AI platforms.
“Employing this level of connectivity and network redundancy in the region is key to not only supporting local businesses who are adopting these new technologies, but will help attract new opportunities to the capital as well,” says Mark Fernandes, executive vice-president of hiboo networks. “Our sole purpose here is to make sure that the city and the community benefits from what we have built.”
While hiboo’s network was designed to be future-proof, it was also built to grow.
“With an initial focus on serving the Ottawa-Gatineau area, the network’s spine-leaf architecture allows hiboo’s footprint to scale and expand as demand increases,” says Charles Berndt, director of technology and network operations at hiboo networks.
“We put a lot of thought into the network because we built it from the ground up,” he says. “We’ll be able to scale quickly, remain nimble and provide connectivity at whatever speed a customer needs.”
Customer service done differently
Another key differentiator for hiboo is the company’s focus on providing unparalleled customer service. With a clean slate and no technical debt from legacy systems, hiboo networks will elevate our customer’s experience, and redefine how businesses think about service from a telecom service provider.
Similar to how the network was designed from scratch, hiboo has built a team of highly skilled, dedicated employees who are committed to providing top-notch customer service every step of the way.
“We are a local company and we understand the DNA of the city,” says Fernandes. “When you call hiboo you are speaking to someone who is invested in the future of Ottawa. We are committed to building ubiquitous connectivity across the Ottawa-Gatineau region.”
The company is also committed to giving customers the opportunity to connect how and when they want, adds Brenda Smith, sales and marketing enablement manager at hiboo networks.
“We’re all about availability, transparency and reliability,” says Smith. “Being local, we have the opportunity to empower our business community to thrive. We are offering a seamless experience that will change the standards of customer service in the telecommunication industry.”
While the hiboo networks team gears up for a busy year ahead, they are remaining bullish about the impact their network will have on their clients, and the city as a whole, adds Emery.
“We’re basically a network built by Ottawa, for Ottawa,” he says. “You can’t get any more community based than that.”
