Broadband is coming to eastern Ontario and it is projected to be available to 95% of homes and businesses with speeds up to 10Mbps.

That's the plan and you can find out more on Wednesday, May 16 at Castleton Town Hall from 3-5 p.m.. That's when an Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) team will be on hand to provide more details and answer questions.

The $170 million project will be built through federal, provincial and private funding. The infrastructure investment will allow internet service providers to provide rural access to high speed broadband in an open competitive marketplace.

The network will include a 5,500 km scalable fibre optic network, and greater access than is currently available. The project will also negotiate improved services and better rates for satellite service in areas which cannot be serviced through wireless or wired connections.

The fibre optics access may depend on the number of households which it could serve. Areas of low population density will continue to be served by satellite, including an new 4G service which was scheduled to be operational by February, 2012.

EORN has signed a contract with Xplornet to provide fixed wireless service in Northumberland County, including Cramahe Township, using 20 towers. Service is predicted to be in place in fall, 2012

Nearly 300,000 people in the area served by the Eastern Ontario Regional Network have poor service or none.

The information session in Castleton is one of more than 50 being held between now and the end of 2012.