Archive for May 19th, 2015

No Internet by Marcelo Graciolli (CC BY 2.0) https://flic.kr/p/5h48hK

Missing the Target: Why Does Canada Still Lack a Coherent Broadband Goal?

The foundation of any national digital policy is affordable high-speed Internet access. Given the importance of the Internet to education, culture, commerce, and political participation, most countries have established ambitious targets to ensure that all citizens enjoy access to reasonably priced broadband services.

My weekly technology law column (Toronto Star version, homepage version) notes the importance of broadband is typically taken as a given, but Canadian broadband policy remains discouragingly incoherent and unambitious. The government and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission have different targets, while the government has established relatively slow speed goals that will still leave three-quarters of a million Canadians without access.

The inconsistent broadband goals are difficult to understand. The CRTC’s 2015-2016 Priorities and Planning Report target for broadband access is 5 megabits per second download for 100 per cent of the population by the end of 2015. Meanwhile, the government’s target will take many more years to complete and does not envision universal access.

Read more ›

May 19, 2015 6 comments Columns

Why Does Canada Still Lack a Coherent Broadband Target?

Appeared in the Toronto Star on May 16, 2015 as Why is Canada Lagging Behind With Its Broadband Goals? The foundation of any national digital policy is affordable high-speed Internet access. Given the importance of the Internet to education, culture, commerce, and political participation, most countries have established ambitious targets […]

Read more ›

May 19, 2015 1 comment Columns Archive