GROWTH PILLAR: Cybersecurity & IT
WHO THIS IS FOR: SMB owners / Rural entrepreneurs / Municipal leaders / Farmers going digital / Solopreneurs working remotely
WHAT THEY'LL GAIN: How to think about upload speed, network failover, smart farming connectivity, and why your ISP choice shapes your business ceiling.
Internet isn't optional anymore. It's the sixth utility. And for rural Canada, the gap between connected and disconnected is the gap between growing and falling behind.
Birket Foster knows this better than most. As the driving force behind Storm Internet, he's built a network of 262 towers covering 8,000 square kilometres of Eastern Ontario — bringing fiber-speed wireless to the farms, small towns, and businesses that Bell and Rogers won't touch. He's been solving connectivity problems since the late seventies, and he's not slowing down.
In this episode of Knack 4 Business, Birket breaks down how Storm evaluates and tests new technology before rolling it out, why upload speed matters far more than most people realize, how rural farms are using connectivity to automate herd management and grain monitoring, and why small ISPs are doing the infrastructure work that big telecom leaves behind.
Why upload speed is the real bottleneck for remote work and cloud apps
How Storm tests technology in the lab, on the roof, and in the field before committing
The difference between Wi-Fi, cellular, and a properly connected building
Smart farming: cameras, automated milking, grain monitoring, and more
How municipalities are starting to use internet data for road safety and planning
Why internet access is now the first question buyers ask about any property
The role of small ISPs in Canada's rural economic development
Network resilience: failover planning, UPS systems, and 20-hour battery backupConnect with Birket Foster:Storm Internet | Phone: 613-567-6585 Birket on LinkedIn Storm on YouTube Storm on Facebook Storm on Instagram Storm on LinkedIn
Hosts: Bernie Franzgrote | Wayne Pratt | Percy Barr
Supporters and partners mentioned:
Carl Richards — Podcast Solutions Made Simple | Fred Crouch — Property Wizard | Jovan Strika — @Hive | Melanie Webber
This episode is supported by:Canada Growth Network + GHL — Full CRM and membership community. $1 CAD first month, $47/month after. No contract. Web Indexer — Smart chatbot for the K4B site. Find episodes, book meetings. Property Wizard — Gentry Learning — Real estate investing podcast and platform.
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Disclaimer: Please note that the Knack 4 Business podcast episodes are meant solely for educational and general informational purposes. The information and opinions contained within are not intended to be professional advice on any subject matter. The thoughts, views, and opinions expressed by the participants are their own beliefs and do not represent the views of the podcast hosts or any affiliated organizations.
It is important to note that this podcast is not a replacement for consulting with certified experts in your area who possess knowledge of your unique situation. The hosts of the podcast, along with any participants or affiliated groups, do not take responsibility for any actions taken or not taken based on the information presented in this episode.
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