Work on telMAX's fiber-optic installation project in Barrie has begun in the Holly neighbourhood. Photo—Lani Coyle/Barrie360Work on telMAX's fiber-optic installation project in Barrie has begun in the Holly neighbourhood. Photo—Lani Coyle/Barrie360The arrival of a new fiber-optic service in Barrie is sparking new competition in a telecom market long dominated by a national oligopoly. "Barrie is underserved from a competitive point of view in terms of internet services," telMAX president and CEO Michael Strople said to Barrie360. For reference, Rogers' maximum upload speed is 2.35 Gbps, while Bell's fiber-optic service speed is 3 Gbps.