President and CEO Hans Nilsson, Municipal Services Board Chair Richard Martin, Vice-Chair Barry Schmidt, and Chief Financial Officer Bill Sipprell came to Kincardine Council last night to deliver their annual report for 2007.
Nilsson says the number of DSL internet customers increased this past year and currently have over 10 thousand customers.
He says they never had a negative growth — or a reduction — in DSL customers since introducing it in 2000.
He calls it a substantial gain adding the competition can’t claim that feat.
Nilsson says the amount of time telephone customers have spent on long distance has also increased.
He says the amazing thing about that is they initially offered 250 free minutes with any new DSL subscription.
He says that offer was eliminated in Janaury but the amount of long distance minutes used went up by around 2 thousand.
Nilsson credits excellent customer service for the success they had this past year.
He says the CRTC (Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission) opened up competition in their service area in March 2007 but no one has managed to set up shop against Bruce Telecom.
He says if Bruce Telecom continues to provide good customer service, people will stay with them.
Council did raise some questions about the accumulating expenses coming from the Municipal Services Board.
Martin says the reason for the high expenses was the Board was new to the business and spent a lot of time getting aquatinted with the rules and setting up guidelines.
He says with that out of the way the Board will be meeting less and therefore expenses will be much less.
Nilsson says their digital television and mobile telephone services as well as their Fall strategic planning session will be the key highlights for 2008.
Bruce Telecom concluded their presentation by presenting Mayor Larry Kraemer with a dividend cheque of 1.53 million dollars to the Municipality.
