Connect the Basin - Connect The Basin

Fibre Is Coming to Your Community – Register for Updates

Register with Tough Country to receive priority updates and early access to fibre service when it becomes available in your community.

Frequently Asked Questions

(Fibre Rollout Update)

Will Tough Country be offering fibre service?

Yes. Tough Country Communications will be offering service over the Columbia Basin Broadband fibre network once it becomes available. Customers will have the option to transition from wireless to fibre if they choose.

Have fibre pricing and installation timelines been finalized?

No. At this time, official pricing structures and confirmed deployment timelines have not yet been formally released by Columbia Basin Broadband. Once these details are finalized, Tough Country will share them with our customers.

Will Tough Country be offering competitive pricing on the new rollout?

Yes. Once official details from Columbia Basin Broadband are released, Tough Country will offer competitive pricing while continuing to provide our reliable local service, unlimited data, and contract-free service.

Why am I seeing different dates or pricing advertised elsewhere?

Some preliminary information may be circulating in the community. However, official timelines and pricing have not been formally confirmed by Columbia Basin Broadband. We are committed to sharing only verified, confirmed information.

Where can I access the most up-to-date information on this project?

Tough Country will provide updates through direct communication and at connectthebasin.ca as soon as confirmed information becomes available.

Columbia Basin Broadband

Tough Country is pleased to update you on our role in the fibre initiative moving forward in your community through Columbia Basin Broadband, supported by significant federal, provincial, and municipal grant funding. This project will bring fibre optic internet access to households in the East Kootenays.

Transition from Wireless to Fibre

Tough Country will participate in this initiative and transition customers from wireless to fibre service once it becomes available. We will continue operating our wireless network alongside services delivered over the Columbia Basin Broadband fibre network, ensuring customers maintain choice in the services they receive.

Deployment Timelines & Pricing

Once official details are released, Tough Country will offer competitive pricing while continuing to provide our reliable local service, unlimited data, and contract-free service our customers value. Verified timelines and pricing will be available once they are formally released.

Next Steps

Columbia Basin Broadband Representatives or designated contractors will be contacting landowners for consent to access property to install the fibre box and fibre drop to the house.
Once installed and network is active, Tough Country Communications can transition customers from wireless to fibre.
There will be no charge to transition from wireless to fibre, or for new customers to connect to the fibre.
Tough Country Communications will continue to be your ISP providing services through the Columbia Basin Fibre.
There is no requirement to move to the fibre as Tough Country Communications will continue to also operate the wireless network in the communities where wireless is available.

Fibre Rollout Maps

Tough Country remains focused on delivering consistent local service and reliable long-term support for the communities we serve.

For the most accurate and up-to-date fibre information in your community, visit this website at connectthebasin.ca.

Tough Country offers unlimited data and contract-free service.

Baynes Lake

Elko

Koocanusa Village | Kragmont

Wardner

Mayook/Colony Road

Grasmere

Caithness

Fort Steele

Ta Ta Creek

Seamless Transition for Existing Customers

When fibre becomes available, existing Tough Country customers will be able to seamlessly upgrade from wireless to fibre service.

Columbia Basin Broadband Project

Our Community Involvement
Contribute Financially to Community Events

Support the Community Halls through free internet connection.

Support Emergency Services through free access to our towers for broadcast system.

Working with Columbia Basin Trust to install cameras on several tower locations to provide visual access to fire monitoring through a Wildfire Resiliency grant project.
Fibre to the Home
The Connect the Basin is a multi-year project that will bring high-speed internet connectivity to more rural communities and areas in the Columbia Basin.

Two phases—an $103 million initiative—receives funding from the federal and provincial governments, the regional districts of Central Kootenay, Columbia Shuswap, Kootenay Boundary, East Kootenay, and Columbia Basin Trust, creating access to high-speed internet for approximately 8,000 homes.
Fibre to the Home Communities*
Wardner, Mayook/Colony Road, Kragmont, Koocanusa Village, Baynes Lake, Elko, Caithness/Galloway/Rock Creek, Fort Steele, Grasmere, Ta Ta Creek

* Additional communities are included in the CBBC initative, however these are the communities that are in the Tough Country current territory

Timeline for Service and Pricing

Contractors have been assigned by Columbia Basin Broadband Corporation (CBBC) and they have started installing the backbone fibre.
Services in some communities may be available in Spring/Summer 2026.
Tough Country will monitor the progression of the fibre build-out and will provide updates on our website.
CBBC has not provided specifics on when individual communities will be completed, however Tough Country will participate in this initiative, as we work closely with CBBC.
CBBC has NOT determined the pricing for the fibre internet service.
The fibre network will be an open access network, which means you can choose your provider.
Tough Country will be competitive with pricing and will continue to provide local service, investment in the communities and a direct presence in the community, as we have for the last 20 years.
We look forward to continuing to service you as your local provider.

Join the Fibre Priority List

Fill out the form to register.

Register with Tough Country to receive priority updates and early access to fibre service when it becomes available in your community.

Benefits:

early fibre updates
priority installation scheduling

Please call us at 1-877-473-6787 or email us at info@toughcountry.ca for additional details.