How does this consortium compare to ONET which is already doing consortium purchase of bandwidth for the colleges?
“ONet Networking is a not-for-profit Ontario corporation that exists to obtain sophisticated and cost-effective network facilities for use by its members. ” (From ONet s web site) Most colleges are members of ONet but deal with it on a one-to-one basis. Colleges also negotiate with other carriers to obtain connectivity while still buying services from Onet. This group will continue to work with Onet negotiating as a single group to obtain the best possible pricing. It will also negotiate with other carriers such as Shaw, Rogers, Bell, and others for best pricing. There is no intention to replace Onet, but rather to work with them and help them obtain the best pricing for all members.
