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TAGGED AS RURAL BROADBAND
AG’s report was ‘opportunity to brag’ about projects: ISED
GATINEAU, Que. — Innovation Canada did not take a critical report of its progress on connecting rural and remote Canadians too poorly, instead using it to “do some education” to highlight all its successes, the department’s director general of spectrum policy said on Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …
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Broadband Fund applications call expected for late spring or early summer
GATINEAU, Que. — The CRTC is looking at a “late spring, early summer” timeframe to ask for applications for its $750-million Broadband Fund, its executive director of telecom said on Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital …
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New 2030 speed target too far away for rural Canada: NDP critic
OTTAWA — NDP industry critic Brian Masse says the new broadband strategy allocated in the 2019 federal budget is a cobbled-together “Frankenstein” approach to boosting internet connections that falls short on funding and comes with an “outlandish” speed target deadline of 2030. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …
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All Canadian households will have 50/10 speeds by 2030: Morneau
OTTAWA — The Liberal government is announcing $1.7 billion in new rural broadband funding over the next 13 years, aimed at closing the speed gap between rural and urban Canada. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …
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Rural broadband, new tax rules among industry pre-budget asks
As the Liberal government unveils its last budget before the upcoming federal election, companies and industry groups will be watching to see if this is the year they’re finally granted some of the requests they’ve been making for years. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
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ISED confirms work on releasing more specific broadband mapping data
There is “general interest” at Innovation Canada in releasing more detailed mapping for broadband coverage than the current 25-square kilometre zones, including the possibility of using smaller hexagons, The Wire Report has learned. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …
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Flaws in rural broadband funding hot topic in telecom law review
Rural broadband funding programs in Canada suffer from “significant” design flaws that have in some cases put investments by small providers on hold, a regional broadband group is warning — one of a number of submissions to the ongoing review of Canada’s communications laws raising concerns with program structure. This content is available to wirereport.ca …
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Rural broadband spending should be priority in next budget: NDP MP
Parliamentarians who stuck around the House of Commons for a Wednesday evening debate on a Liberal motion to take a hard look at Canada’s rural broadband gap said spending on underserved areas must be high up on the government’s agenda. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …
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‘We did not cut it’: Scott defends broadband fund speed target to MPs
CRTC Chairman Ian Scott defended the eligibility speeds for the commission’s new $750 million rural broadband fund at a parliamentary hearing Thursday, where he faced criticism from an Opposition MP that accused the commission of lowering its standards. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …
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CRTC consulting on broadband fund application guide
The CRTC has released an application guide for its $750-million rural broadband fund and is asking for comments on the preliminary document. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or …
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ITPA pitches ‘sustainability component’ for rural broadband programs
The government should create a “sustainability component” to rural broadband funding projects so they don’t dwindle in quality or eventually fail, according to an association representing independent rural incumbent local telephone businesses. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …
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Stick to hexagons for broadband fund, PIAC and telecoms tell CRTC
An application to relax eligibility requirements for the CRTC’s $750-million rural broadband fund is drawing support from a number of rural municipalities and opposition from telecoms, while a consumer group says keeping the original criteria would help target areas that need help the most. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …
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Bell grows fixed wireless plans by 400,000 homes
BCE Inc. says it will grow its rural fixed-wireless plans by 50 per cent, thanks to new tax measures the Liberal government announced last fall aimed at promoting investments in rural areas. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …
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ISED expects most Connect to Innovate agreements will be signed by April
Only about $30 million has made it out the door so far from the Liberal government’s $500 million Connect to Innovate fund that was announced in the 2016 budget, according to documents tabled this week in Parliament, but that should soon change. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …
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Bernadette Jordan tasked to ‘lead work’ to improve rural broadband
The Prime Minister’s Office has made public the mandate letter for the freshly-appointed Minister of Rural Economic Development, Bernadette Jordan. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to …
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Innovation, rural development ministers get new parlsecs
Quebec MP Rémi Massé will replace David Lametti as the parliamentary secretary to the innovation minister, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a press release Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take …
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Platforms could pull out of Canadian market if regulated: Google
Alphabet Inc.’s Google already contributes to the Canadian creative system by providing the infrastructure for users to upload and share their content and enabling them to earn revenue from it, the company is telling the federal review of Canada’s communications legislation. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …
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Rural spectrum for backhaul should be cheaper than urban: telecoms
Telecom companies are largely supportive of Innovation Canada’s efforts to update how it sets licence fees for point-to-point systems, though some are calling for that process to be sped up and others are arguing fees in rural areas should be lowered. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …
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New rural development minister to tackle broadband availability
After the auditor general blasted the government for not having a clear plan to deal with the deployment of rural broadband, the Liberal government on Monday created a ministry to deal with the matter. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …
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SWIFT asks CRTC to review rural broadband fund eligibility
The SouthWestern Integrated Fibre Technology Inc. (SWIFT) project is calling on the CRTC to relax eligibility requirements for the commission’s new rural broadband fund, arguing that the mapping criteria it uses will exclude too many poorly serviced communities from applying. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …
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Small ISPs welcome ISED consults for fifth tier spectrum licensing area
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) has launched a consultation on a newly proposed category of smaller service areas for spectrum licensing, a moved praised by small wireless providers that have pushed for smaller area sizes at auctions that they can afford. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …
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Feds pledge faster fibre cost recovery for telecoms
The federal government’s fall economic update includes a faster way for telecoms to recover a bigger portion of their investment costs in fibre deployment, which it hopes will spur broadband connectivity in rural areas. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …
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ISED said it will do its ‘darndest’ for rural in face of 3.5 GHz clawback
OTTAWA — Innovation Canada deputy minister John Knubley said his department will do what it can to address a concern that a clawback of 3.5 GHz spectrum for a future auction will leave some in rural areas without service. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
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AG finds flaws in rural connectivity funding, spectrum auction process
OTTAWA — The federal government has been lagging behind on rural broadband deployment despite “significant investments” by the public and private sectors, according to a report by Canada’s auditor general tabled in Parliament Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …
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Indigenous ISP lobbies to get piece of allocated fed funds
An indigenous telecom vying for federal support to provide Northern Manitoba communities with fibre internet is trying to claim a share of Innovation Canada money announced in January, following a breakup with another group that was the recipient of the government’s funds. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …
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Cheaper wireless plans lowered telecom service prices in 2017: CRTC
Wireless prices drove overall average monthly communication service pricing down 1.6 per cent in 2017 compared to the year prior, according to the pricing installment of the CRTC’s latest Communications Monitoring Report. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …
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Lack of infrastructure, bylaws challenges for remote connectivity
TORONTO — Remote communities looking to build internet as an essential service are being challenged by more than just financing, as internet service providers (ISPs) looking to take-on the task of delivering service in those areas face unique circumstances not seen in bigger metropolitan areas. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …
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Ontario, Saskatchewan didn’t agree to ISED broadband strategy
Last week, ministers of innovation and economic development from three levels of government committed to working together toward internet speed requirements that match the CRTC’s basic services objective, but ISED confirmed Thursday that Ontario and Saskatchewan did not explicitly agree to the initiative. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …
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Municipalities requesting $4B for rural broadband, mobile access target
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) is asking the federal government to plow $4 billion over 10 years into filling a rural broadband gap they say leaves about two million Canadians without reliable fixed or mobile internet. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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Ensure ISPs don’t have to contribute money to CanCon: CCSA
The Canadian Communications Systems Alliance (CCSA) is asking the Senate transport and communications committee to consider precluding in law a requirement for internet service providers (ISPs) to contribute money to Canadian content, its CEO said Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …
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Data gaps a connectivity issue for indigenous communities
Organizations working on mapping internet connectivity issues in rural and remote communities are being encouraged to take their work further to bridge a gap that some indigenous community representatives are saying is left by the incompleteness of government data. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
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Bandwidth pressures a concern for indigenous ISPs
Internet service providers (ISPs) in rural and remote communities are trying to keep up with the appetite of users consuming ever-higher amounts of data, especially as video streaming services and gaming become mainstays in the household. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …
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CRTC should have oversight over utility poles: telecoms
Rogers Communications Inc. and Shaw Communications Inc. are both asking the federal government to make it easier for telecoms to access infrastructure such as roads and utility poles as they deploy 5G networks. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …
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Small ISPs ‘optimistic’ about CRTC broadband fund
A CRTC decision outlining how its $750 million fund for rural broadband will be administered “looks quite encouraging,” according to the president of the Canadian Network Operators’ Consortium (CNOC). This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news …
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CRTC rural broadband fund speed targets draw criticism
The CRTC revealed Thursday the details of the $750 million rural broadband fund that’s been in the works for nearly two years, prompting criticism from some groups concerned about what they say are low speed criteria. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …
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Senators asked to champion net neutrality in comms laws review
OTTAWA — Lawmakers need to make net neutrality a major priority and imprint the principle into any new communications legislation, University of Ottawa law professor Michael Geist and Carleton University communication studies professor Dwayne Winseck told Senators Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock …
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Northwestel boosting speeds threefold in October
BCE Inc.’s Northwestel says it will begin providing internet service at speeds three times as fast as those currently available next month through its upgraded satellite network. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take …
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90% of Quebecers to have 100 Mbps internet by 2020, PLQ pledges
Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) leader Philippe Couillard is promising more than 90 per cent of the province’s population will have access to “ultra-high speed” broadband if his party is re-elected next month. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …
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Fibre connections coming to Quebec’s far north
With $125.2 million in funds from the Connect to Innovate program and the Quebec government, the Kativik Regional Government will build some of the most remote fibre internet backbone in the country over the next three years. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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New basic service standards not ‘possible’ in the North: Northwestel
BCE Inc.’s Northwestel is claiming that due to long distances in its coverage area — and the physics of the speed of light — new CRTC network quality standards are not achievable in the North, though a technology advocate casts doubt on those claims. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign …
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ISED OKs Shaw, Bell spectrum transfer in the North
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) has approved a number of spectrum licence transfers between Shaw Communications Inc. and BCE Inc. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or …
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Xplornet announces more ‘5G ready’ network expansion
Xplornet Communications Inc. plans to introduce “5G-ready Internet technology” in New Brunswick, it said two weeks after a similar announcement in Ontario. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or …
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New Connect to Innovate projects in Ontario, Quebec
The federal government announced more rural and remote internet funding for the Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Que. and Sioux Lookout and Hilton Beach, Ont. this week. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial …
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More targeted data critical to bridge rural broadband divide
Matt Rapke doesn’t need a map to figure out that identifying ‘unnamed’ rural and remote places is a fundamental aspect of deploying broadband in those areas, because he comes from one such town. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …
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Bell targeting more rural markets with fixed wireless expansion
BCE Inc. will grow its presence in the fixed wireless space to 30 additional rural communities after a successful trial earlier this year, CEO George Cope said Thursday in a call with analysts. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …
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LEO projects promise rural, remote broadband in just a few years
Three years after a number of big companies first announced they would launch global low-earth-orbit (LEO) systems that would provide internet connectivity to remote areas around the world, that space is getting crowded — including with some Canadian competition. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
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Telesat launches satellite said to improve Nunavut internet speeds
Telesat Holdings Inc. said Monday that the launch of its new Telstar 19 Vantage high throughput satellite was successful. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The …
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Xplornet lobby blitz fights 3.5 GHz clawback proposal
Xplornet Communications Inc. will not be able to service thousands of its rural customers with fixed-wireless service if the government follows through on a consultation proposal that recommends taking back the majority of its 3.5 GHz spectrum for its future auction, a company spokesperson said. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …
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Northwestel on track to complete modernization plan: CRTC
BCE Inc.’s Northwestel is on its way to successfully completing its five-year plan to modernize the northern telecom’s footprint with improved telecommunications infrastructure, the CRTC said Monday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. …
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Bell awarded SuperNet contract, to buy Axia in Alberta
BCE Inc. will take over the operation of the entire SuperNet network in Alberta after being awarded a “multi-year” contract from the provincial government, Bell said in a Tuesday press release. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital …
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ISED points to existing programs in response to rural broadband report
The government has responded to a House industry committee report that, among other recommendations, said the government should tackle the problem of rural broadband access in Canada and called for intentionally favouring small and non-traditional providers. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the …
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ISED funding 777-km fibre line in Northern Canada
Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) is putting $30 million from its Connect to Innovate program toward a 777 kilometre-long fibre cable that will improve internet connectivity for residents in Yukon, the Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and northern British Columbia. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
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Ice Wireless hooking up remote Quebec communities with cell service
Ice Wireless, a subsidiary of Iristel Inc., is partnering with a regional Quebec government to deliver cellular and data services for the first time in a remote area of Northern Quebec. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital …
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$23.3M to improve telecom network in eastern Quebec
Innovation Canada is allocating $11.05 million from its Connect to Innovate program to improve telecom services in the Basse-Côte-Nord region. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to …
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Project to upgrade connectivity in all NWT communities completed
Each of the 33 communities in the Northwest Territories (NWT) now has access to 4G wireless connections and internet access of at least 5 Mbps, after the completion of the NWT Broadband Infrastructure project, according to an Infrastructure Canada release on Monday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here …
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Connect to Innovate directing $17M to Nova Scotia
The federal government will chip in $17 million of its $500-million Connect to Innovate fund to “bring high-speed Internet access or faster Internet” to 64 communities and up to 80 institutions in Nova Scotia. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …
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Report calls for ‘larger role’ for small rural broadband players
OTTAWA — The House of Commons standing committee on industry, science and technology has released recommendations on how the government should tackle the problem of rural broadband access in Canada that call for intentionally favouring small and non-traditional providers. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? …
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Equipment developer to get $11.5M loan for satellite broadband
A Montreal-based satellite network company will receive $11.5 million of federal government funding — out of its $1.2 billion Strategic Investment Fund — to build rural and remote broadband infrastructure, according to a news release on Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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Northern Ontario community to get funds for internet infrastructure
The federal government announced money towards the construction of internet backbone infrastructure in a Northern Ontario Indigenous community Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or subscribe to The …
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Spectrum auction complexity barrier for fixed wireless providers: Nordicity
OTTAWA — Complex auction and government subsidy application processes are among challenges facing fixed wireless providers looking to obtain spectrum, Nordicity’s Stuart Jack said in a presentation at the CanWISP 2018 conference on Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …
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Federal gov’t chipping in $17M for high-speed connections in Alberta
Organizations in Alberta will receive $22.5 million in federal and private funds to build high-speed internet connections in the province, according to a release from Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada on Thursday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …
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New promise for fixed wireless, as telecoms incorporate LTE, 5G
Advances in fixed wireless technology could make it a more viable option for helping solve Canada’s rural broadband problem, while marrying fixed wireless with 5G shows promise for connecting city-dwellers, according to the companies deploying the service. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all …
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Fibre backbone, last mile projects in rural B.C. getting $38M in funding
Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada announced an additional $38 million of funding for rural broadband in British Columbia in a release on Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a …
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Cybersecurity, LEO satellites, data on OTT services in federal budget
OTTAWA — The 2018 federal budget, released Tuesday afternoon, includes half a billion dollars in funding for cybersecurity initiatives, in addition to smaller investments in looking at the potential of low-earth orbit satellites for internet service in remote areas and for Statistics Canada to collect data on streaming services. This content is available to wirereport.ca …
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Bell, Huawei test 5G tech for fixed wireless in rural Ontario
BCE Inc. and Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. have successfully tested fixed wireless technology that uses Huawei’s 5G tech in rural parts of Southwestern Ontario, according to a Tuesday press release. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …
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CRTC declines review request on internet affordability
In a Thursday decision, the CRTC denied an effort by a collection of public advocacy groups that sought to have the regulatory body take a firmer stance on affordability of internet access. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …
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Distributel teams up with Eeyou network on northern Quebec service
A Cree-owned non-profit will partner with Distributel Communications Ltd. to bring a bundle of telecom services to regions around James Bay in spring 2018, according to a release on Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …
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Coastal B.C. communities to get $45M toward better internet
The federal government will plow a large chunk of a $45.4-million investment for high-speed internet along coastal British Columbia, including remote and First Nations communities, according to a joint government announcement on Wednesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, …
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Wireless coverage improvements coming to site of G7 summit
In anticipation of the G7 summit in June, the federal government will have 13 cell towers built to increase coverage for the area near host Charlevoix, Que, a release on Monday revealed. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …
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$43.7M in Connect to Innovate funds allocated for Manitoba
The federal government will spend $38.5 million of its $500 million of Connect to Innovate funding to build backbone networks in rural Manitoba, according to a Tuesday press release. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news …
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$24.8M from Connect to Innovate to go to N.L.
The federal government will allocate $24.8 million from its Connect to Innovate program to improve internet connectivity in Newfoundland and Labrador, according to a Tuesday press release. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. …
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Quebec digital strategy aims for 90% to have 100 Mbps speeds
Quebec unveiled a five-year digital strategy Wednesday, which included long-term goals to provide high speed internet access to 100 per cent of the province’s population, more digital government services and to elevate the visibility of Quebec culture on digital networks. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot …
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BPF registers to lobby amidst consumer group funding concerns
A few months after the emergence of a proposal asking the CRTC to shift funding away from the Broadcast Participation Fund (BPF), the organization that helps bring consumer interests in front of the commission has filed its first registrations to lobby the regulator and the government. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a …
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House committee recommends rural broadband spending
The House of Commons standing committee on finance presented its budgetary policy report Friday, which included a recommendation for funding to ensure high-speed internet is available across Canada. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you …
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Over $24M in internet funding allocated to 26 Que. communities
Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada announced the allocation of funding to connect over 12,000 homes across 26 communities in Quebec with high-speed internet infrastructure, it said in two releases last week. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting …
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Rural broadband costs to become clearer early next year: ISED
OTTAWA — Despite already surpassing their target to connect some rural and remote communities with broadband internet, officials from Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada told a House of Commons committee Thursday that initial estimates to connect some parts of the country were short of what they anticipated. This content is available to wirereport.ca …
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$290M allocated for internet infrastructure in rural Quebec
In a press release on Monday, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) announced up to $290 million in spending on planned internet backbone construction projects in 14 regions across Quebec, a portion of which will come through its Connect to Innovate fund. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in …
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Xplornet turns on LTE in Newfoundland communities
Rural internet provider Xplornet Communications Inc. has expanded its fixed wireless network in Newfoundland to support faster download and upload speeds, according to a press release on Tuesday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you …
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Facilities ownership key to competition, ISP conference hears
TORONTO — Owning fibre facilities is the primary way to drive competition, panelists told a conference on the first day of the annual ISP Summit in Toronto, and having to lease those last mile facilities would put competitors at a disadvantage. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN …
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Paul Thompson new ISED associate deputy minister
Paul Thompson has been named the new associate deputy minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, as of Nov. 20, the Prime Minister’s Office said in a press release Friday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media …
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For ‘acceptable’ internet, look beyond speed, House study told
As the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology gears up for a study of rural broadband, a number of participants are pointing out that the speeds set under the CRTC’s basic service standards can’t be the only metric to consider, at the same time as the regulator works on defining quality …
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Connect to Innovate allocates another $4M for Northern Ontario
Six Northern Ontario communities will receive $4.03 million under the federal government’s Connect to Innovate fund, according to a Tuesday press release. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. Take a free trial or …
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Ring of Fire to get $69 million for broadband infrastructure
A $69.2-million investment toward high-speed internet in the Ring of Fire region was announced by Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada in Thunder Bay on Friday. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need. …
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CanCon, affordability, competition in CRTC mandate letter
Promoting Canadian content and supporting creators, service affordability and encouraging competition and investment by companies are among the priorities outlined in the federal government’s mandate letter to new CRTC chairman Ian Scott. This content is available to wirereport.ca subscribers Already a subscriber? Sign in here LOGIN Forgot password? Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and …
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