Connecting the unconnectedProviding broadband network solutions for underserved and rural areas.

Fixed Wireless Broadband Networks

Ruralink Wireless is an innovative, solutions-driven company building wireless broadband networks in rural and underserved areas of North America, specifically targeting the 40 million people without reliable broadband Internet access.

QwikCom Portable Wireless Broadband Access Point

A rapid deployment remote communications solution for disaster recovery and interim facility or border surveillance.

Fixed Wireless Broadband Networks

The Ruralink Wireless broadband network utilizes TV White Space and other lightly-licensed wireless spectrum to provide broadband Internet services to its customers.

Network elements marked with a red dot have been specifically developed for the Ruralink network.
Items marked with a blue dot are standards based mass-market network elements readily available to the public.

Ruralink National Rollout

ARK controls 283 TV broadcast licenses that cover over 100 million persons. The initial Ruralink deployments will focus on ARK rural markets covering about 44 million people.

Ruralink will deploy in concert with ARK Multicasting in markets below DMA 50 where there is a combination of underserved demand and marginal local ISPs.

QwikCom Portable Wireless Broadband

QwikCom is a portable wireless broadband system that supplies voice, video and data communications to rural or remote areas.

QwikCom units can be mounted on a trailer or a tripod, and shipped via truck or air. QwikCom units are totally self-sufficient in communications and power. QwikCom units are connected to a satellite through an onboard dish and distribute wireless broadband internet through its Wi-Fi antennae, allowing access within a 1 km+ radius from the QwikCom unit’s location.

Optional equipment includes day and night-vision cameras, electrical generator or solar panels, and battery back-up if required. QwikCom units also act as a charge station for cellular phones.

QwikCom can be quickly delivered to areas to provide wireless internet access to disaster zones, where all communication and power infrastructure has been destroyed. For disaster recovery, the QwikCom portable wireless broadband system is critical to recovery efforts, as communication is paramount to get the supplies and equipment to disaster-affected areas quickly.

QwikCom units can also provide internet connectivity to any rural or remote area, construction site or movie set, regardless of location.

QwikCom systems equipped with day and night vision cameras are also capable of acting as surveillance systems for border control, intelligent transportation management, pipeline monitoring and secure plant, mine or warehouse monitoring.

The Market

Disaster Recovery

The requirement for portable wireless broadband systems for disaster recovery is critical to recovery efforts. Rapid response communications systems like QwikCom are essential to getting aid to disaster zones in a timely fashion.

Surveillance

The surveillance capability of QwikCom is an excellent feature for border control or security for ports and warehouses. It is also an excellent solution for oil pipeline monitoring, especially over waterways and wetlands.

Features

Satellite Backhaul
Supports Video, Voice & Data
On-site Setup & Maintenance
7-24 Hour Battery Backup
Shore, Generator or Solar Power
A Variety of Video Cameras
Cellular Extenders
7×24 Network Monitoring
Maintenance Support

The Market Size for QwikCom:

Potentially over $100 million per year
Hundreds of QwikCom units would be required for border control for one country
The disaster recovery sector is a large market in countries affected by hurricanes such as coastal United States and the Caribbean
The Intelligent Traffic Management market is in the hundreds of QwikCom units for the US alone
Industrial markets are also significant: QwikCom units are suitable for monitoring pipelines over wetlands, mining operations, construction sites, etc.

Leadership

Board of Directors

Vern Fotheringham

Chairman

Mr. Fotheringham is a US citizen who has been a contributor and innovator in virtually every sector in the field of commercial wireless communications. He has made substantive contributions in both the technology and service delivery sectors as an innovator and entrepreneur delivering scalable and sustainable value to all stakeholders at every stage of enterprise evolution.

Presently, he is CEO of ARK Multicasting, Inc. a nationwide hybrid broadcast-broadband TV IP multicasting network. He is also the Executive Chairman of V-Satcast, Inc., a satellite CDN media distribution venture. In addition, he serves as: Chairman of Apogee Networks, Ltd. of New Zealand a global NGSO V&Q band satellite licensee, and Chairman of Auton, Inc. a heterogenous wireless network service provider to the automotive industry. Previously, he was the Chairman and CEO of Kymeta Corporation pioneering the field of metamaterial satellite antennas from its inception as a spin-off from Intellectual Ventures through three rounds of finance led by Bill Gates III.

In his more than three decade long telecommunications career, Vern has earned widespread recognition and held notable positions including his pioneering work in the field of millimetric microwave technology and services as the Chairman and CEO of Advanced Radio Telecom; as the Acting Chief Technical Officer of Nextlink Wireless, Inc. (XO Communications) the nationwide LMDS licensee now owned by Verizon; and as President and CEO of ADAPTIX, Inc. that pioneered and secured patent protection for the core OFDMA technology as now embedded In 4G LTE cellular and Mobile WiMAX networks.

Griffin Jones

President

Mr. Jones is a Canadian citizen with extensive experience in finance and administration of public companies over a 30-year career. He has successfully financed and placed into production a large gold mine in Nevada. He has also been a founder and director of several public companies.

He is a graduate of the British Columbia Institute of Technology in Administrative Management and the Canadian Securities Course.

Steve Comrie

Director

Mr. Comrie is a Canadian citizen and is the Principal of Mint Grove Communications since 2010 which has pioneered advanced revenue strategies and audience measurement for broadcasting, technology and digital communications providers in the US, Canada and international markets.

Previously he was a partner in Washalta Ventures that focused on communications providers and tech startups including Rialto Broadband Inc., Radiostream Ltd. (Canada), Arcanvs Inc., Perimeter Labs Inc., and others. Earlier, he was the President and COO of Advanced Radio Telecom, Inc. a NASDAQ listed wireless CLEC with licenses in over 200 markets. Earlier in his career he was the VP and General Manager of television station KCBA in Monterey, California.

Peter Hayward

Director

Mr. Hayward is a Canadian citizen with over twenty-five years experience in the wireless and financial services industry. He has been either principal or advisor to leading telecommunications services providers in Canada, the USA and in Europe. Currently Mr. Hayward is CEO of Telco Analytic a technology consultancy which partners with owners and managers of significant properties in the REIT sector to engineer, design, secure, and manage their telecommunication, network and infrastructure assets.

Previous positions have included: (i) Managing Director, Bazillion Europe where he managed the European VOIP network deployment and responsible for early-stage revenue generation. Established the legal corporate entities, managed regulatory and licensing procedures throughout the EU; (ii) CompleTel Inc. Paris, France – Project Manager UK, responsible for hybrid network builds in 2nd-tier markets including Uxbridge, Bristol, Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool. Implemented a hybrid fibre/microwave service offering an alternative local-loop access strategy; (iii) UKERNA represented in excess of 20, E-3 radio links to off-net campus, hospitals, and research facilities throughout the UK with monthly rental revenues that exceeded £50K; (iv) Founder and CEO of Advantage Telecom Canada’s first wireless broadband CLEC which in collaboration with Industry Canada pioneered 38GHz licensing with paired 50MHz channels in sixty-six Canadian markets.