Fibernetic Stories

Canada deregulated the telecommunications industry & John Stix & Jody Schnarr founded Online Tel. They designed a system to sell long-distance accounts, and were likely the first to invent free, ad-based calling.

Met Mike Brown. Mike ran The Little Computer shop for a few years & then joined them at Online Tel.

Ad-Tel Communications launches free calling in Essex County sponsored by 15 second ads

Free long distance calling in Niagara Falls, Fort Erie, Welland and Port Colborne with sponsored calls by Re-Max

Freephoneline launches offering a desktop phone where users can call across Canada for free.

Labatt Blueline: Online Tel upgraded their ad-based long-distance calling system to support an ad-tree for customers to hear ads geared to their demographic. They sold the idea to Labatt BlueLine (before they developed it) and Quinton Technologies developed & delivered the project within two months.

John Stix – Profit 100 Entrepreneur Award Winner

295.ca founded in Jody’s basement. They focused first on dial-up internet which still represented the largest amount of volume in the market (everyone else was looking to DSL).

Fibernetics partners with the Toronto Sun and launches SunCall. A revenue sharing venture in return for free ad space in the newspaper. Partnerships with other newspapers followed including KW RecordCall in the Waterloo Region.

Fibernetics opens Call Center in Dominican Republic (CanCall International) – currently employees over 60 staff.

Bought back Online Tel which ultimately became the parent company (Fibernetics) and 295.ca became Worldline

Launched NEWT, Fibernetics business division offering pbx phone systems and business Internet to business customers.

Fibernetics gains CLEC (Competitive Local Exchange Carrier) status in Canada.

Fibernetics partners with Labatts and launches Bud Phone, BudLight Phone, Budlight Lime Phone, Kokanee Phone a desktop phone app offering Free long distance across Canada.

Fibernetics purchases ca.inter.net located in Western Canada.

Fibernetics partners with Dell Canada to launch Dell Voice a free VoIP app to provided Canadians with a free number to allow for the receiving and making of voice calls throughout Canada and beyond. The app went to #1 in the Apple App Store. Dell Voice is now Fongo.

Fibernetics launches Fibernetics Ventures helping fund start-up tech companies in the Region.

Fibernetics purchases Nucleus Information Services Inc. located in Calgary, Alberta. Nucleus was the first Internet company in the Province of Alberta.

Fibernetics purchases Telnet Communications in Oshawa, Ontario.

Fibernetics wins “The Accompass Award for Best Employer Branding. This award recognizes the HR team that has developed and implemented the most compelling Employer Brand, both internally and externally. Others nominated in the category included Keg Restaurants, Molson Coors, Tigris Incorporated and Traction on Demand.

Jody Schnarr becomes EY Entrepreneur of the Year – Telecom CEO.

Junior Achievement Waterloo Region Hall of Fame. Junior Achievement Waterloo Region is excited to announce this year’s inductees into the 2019 JA Waterloo Region Entrepreneur Hall of Fame. John Stix and Jody Schnarr, Co-Founders of Fibernetics.

Fibernetics moved it head office to Galt, Cambridge located in the Gaslight District.