PHASE II OF FSET’S STARLINK ROLLOUT UNDERWAY

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KENORA, ON – February 22, 2023 – FSET Inc. is pleased to announce that Phase II of our Northern Starlink deployment project is well underway.

Since late 2020, FSET has been collaborating with SpaceX to deliver Starlink broadband internet technology to remote communities and First Nations across Northern Ontario. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, we recognized a desperate need for connectivity and looked to Starlink as both a blueprint and a solution for how digital equity could be accomplished, and more specifically, a means to empower Indigenous learners and improve educational outcomes on reserve.

For Phase II of this project, we have partnered with Nishnawbe Aski Nation (NAN) and begun working together to assist the Ministry of Education in closing the achievement gap between Indigenous students and all students. As of August 1st, 2022, in NAN territory, we have connected over 1,000 homes, schools, and educational resource centres with Starlink internet across 31 different communities, with more and more units being deployed by the day.

Whereas the Canadian Government is aiming for each home and business across the country to have access to internet speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download/10 Mbps upload, the signals in some of the NAN communities were previously as slow as 1.75 Mbps. With Starlink able to provide broadband speeds upwards of 300 Mpbs, students are now able to participate in synchronous education and other unique learning opportunities for the very first time.

“We are pleased to partner with FSET and we thank everyone involved for making this exciting project a reality,” says NAN Deputy Grand Chief Bobby Narcisse. “Reliable internet connectivity is a necessity for our communities to take full advantage of online learning opportunities and remotely access many important services such as health care, social services, and justice. The Northern Starlink project will allow our members to gain access to the services they require, and our students to access the education supports they need to succeed. Knowledge is key in the information age, and this technology is bringing the world to their fingertips.”

“For us, this is all about building on the work we’ve been doing with our First Nation community partners, keeping up momentum to close the digital divide and continuing to level the playing field for Indigenous youth in the North,” adds Nicole Brown, FSET Chief Operating Officer. “Starlink is a time efficient and cost-effective solution that can easily solve the problem of lacking broadband internet for remote communities, and that is exactly what it is doing for First Nations in NAN territory.”

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