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Qiniq (company)
  Qiniq, from the Inuktitut root word for "to search", is a Canadian company, which uses satellite and wireless communications technology to provide broadband Internet service to remote communities in the Canadian territory of Nunavut. The Qiniq network serves all 25 municipalities in Nunavut with satellite and wireless broadband internet services.[1] HistoryIn the fall of 2002, Industry Canada, now Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, announced the Broadband for Rural and Northern Development (BRAND) program, serving as the catalyst for the creation of Nunavut Broadband Development Corporation (NBDC), a non-profit organization tasked with identifying the territory's broadband needs.[1] NBDC issued a request for proposal to vendors, which SSI Micro won in the spring of 2004.[1] In 2004, SSi Micro, now SSi Canada, formed their subsidiary, Qiniq, which was launched in 2005.[1] Before Qiniq’s launch, many Nunavummiut had no internet access at all, and those that did were using snail-slow – and incredibly expensive – dial-up connections. Sending a single digital photo could take hours and service was often unreliable. QINIQ allowed residents and communities across Nunavut to use the web for a variety of new educational and cultural purposes. In 2005, the Wireless Communications Association (WCA) awarded Qiniq in the category of "Advanced Technology For the Underserved: Affordable Services" for provisioning underserved communities with advanced NLOS broadband wireless technology.[2] In 2006, Qiniq won the award "Business of the Year" at the Nunavut Business Achievement Awards, Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce.[3] Since its foundation, Qiniq has upgraded its network multiple times, including the implementation of DVB-S2 receivers in 2009, and the installation of LTE technology in 2016.[1] In January 2014, Qiniq refunded $128,000 of monthly fees and extra charges, after overcharging approximately 600 customers for several months.[4] In September 2018, the company announced a successful rollout of 4G LTE and 2G-GSM technology in all 25 municipalities in Nunavut.[5] In March 2020, the company released a statement asking for users to limit their internet usage due to increased internet usage during the COVID-19 pandemic.[6] In 2024, Qiniq launched Kamotik, a plan that puts customers in control of the choice of features. [7] ServicesThe company's network incorporates a number of features, such as mesh connectivity, traffic shaping, local web caches, and TCP acceleration.[1] The Qiniq network is managed centrally by SSi Canada, which maintains the satellite infrastructure, the wireless networks, all back-end hardware as well as the billing and management systems. The company provides services through "Community Service Providers," local residents or businesses that can sign up accounts, take payments and provide basic technical support to the Qiniq's customers in Nunavut. [8] References
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