Guiding Canada’s Future Investment in Rural Infrastructure – Presentation to Senate Committee

Posted on May 17, 2017 by brianbeaton

Guiding Canada’s Future Investment in Rural Infrastructure A presentation was recently delivered to the Senate Committee on National Finance regarding rural infrastructure investment. The Senate Committee has been studying the design and delivery of the government’s infrastructure commitment, and has asked for comments to address the effects of future infrastructure investments on rural development in Canada. The[…]

CRTC rules against zero-rating by telecom industry

Posted on April 21, 2017 by brianbeaton

From http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/crtc-zero-rating-differential-pricing-decision-videtron-net-neutrality-2017-1.4077717 Your internet provider can’t pick which apps and services count against your data cap, says CRTC In a win for net neutrality advocates, carriers can’t use a controversial pricing practice called zero-rating By Matthew Braga, Last Updated: Apr 21, 2017 If zero-rating is allowed, an internet provider could decide to exempt a video streaming service such[…]

CRTC planning new broadband infrastructure funding program for unserved and underserved communities

Posted on April 18, 2017June 2, 2017 by brianbeaton

From http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/internet/internet.htm Closing the Broadband Gap Following the review of Canada’s basic telecommunications services, the CRTC has established a universal service objective that Canadians – in rural and remote areas as well as in urban centres – should have access to voice services and broadband Internet access services on fixed and mobile wireless networks. The CRTC[…]

Manitoba First Nations Technology Council plans to connect remote First Nations

Posted on April 10, 2017June 2, 2017 by brianbeaton

From http://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/first-nations-high-speed-internet-northern-manitoba-1.4058347 Connecting communities: First Nations company plans to lay 3,600 km of fibre optics in Manitoba Clear Sky Connections is working on bringing high-speed internet to remote First Nations By Jillian Taylor, Posted: Apr 10, 2017 A First Nations company is working to bring high-speed internet to Manitoba’s most remote communities. Unreliable, constantly buffering and just plain[…]

28 Indigenous Knowledge Synthesis research projects funded by SSHRC

Posted on April 7, 2017June 2, 2017 by brianbeaton

From http://www.sshrc-crsh.gc.ca/news_room-salle_de_presse/press_releases-communiques/2017/ksg-ssc-eng.aspx Government of Canada Invests in Indigenous Research Projects $695,000 for 28 research projects on the experiences of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples March 16, 2017, Ottawa, Ontario—Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council The Government of Canada is committed to renewing the nation-to-nation relationship with Indigenous peoples based on recognition of rights, respect, co-operation[…]

PIAC, ACORN & NPF continue lobby for CRTC to provide Affordability Subsidy

Posted on April 5, 2017June 2, 2017 by brianbeaton

From https://www.piac.ca/our-specialities/crtc-asked-to-reconsider-affordability-subsidy CRTC ASKED TO RECONSIDER AFFORDABILITY SUBSIDY Lower-income Canadians, fixed income earners and seniors should have access to “basic service” including broadband OTTAWA, April 5, 2017 – The Public Interest Advocacy Centre (PIAC), ACORN Canada (ACORN) and National Pensioners Federation (NPF) today jointly filed an application to review and vary the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications[…]

FMCC intervention in Northwestel’s request to CRTC for forbearance

Posted on March 10, 2017 by brianbeaton

The First Mile Connectivity Consortium (FMCC) filed the attached intervention letter concerning Northwestel’s application for forbearance concerning the delivery of broadband services in the Northwest Territories. We are sharing this document with everyone in the hope that it might be useful to you. If there are problems with the concerns we are raising about Northwestel[…]

CRTC denies an application by Ice Wireless Inc. for relief against Rogers

Posted on March 6, 2017 by brianbeaton

CRTC shuts down Sugar Mobile in big victory for Rogers, Big 3 ‘It’s a big blow’ to Canadian consumers, says Sugar Mobile president Samer Bishay By Aaron Saltzman, Mar 01, 2017 – From http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/sugar-mobile-rogers-telus-bell-cellphone-crtc-1.4004569 Sugar Mobile has been offering cellphone plans for as low as $19 a month. (Shawn Benjamin/CBC) The CRTC has ordered Sugar Mobile, an upstart[…]

Closing Infrastructure Gap in Canada’s Northern and Aboriginal Communities

Posted on February 9, 2017February 11, 2017 by brianbeaton

From Conference Board report web site New Procurement and Financing Approaches Needed to Close Infrastructure Gap in Canada’s Northern and Aboriginal Communities Ottawa, February 6, 2017—A long list of infrastructure concerns in Canada’s Northern and Aboriginal communities needs to be addressed, from poor access to basic amenities such as clean water, sewage treatment, and waste[…]

When it comes to internet access, small towns might be better off without the big telcos

Posted on February 8, 2017 by brianbeaton

From http://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/rural-internet-access-1.3969175 When it comes to internet access, small towns might be better off without the big telcos The real push to get all Canadians equal online access is coming from right inside their own communities By Ramona Pringle, for CBC News Posted: Feb 07, 2017 5:00 AM ET Last Updated: Feb 07, 2017 5:00 AM ET[…]