CRTC Announces New Targets for Broadband Access and Speeds in Canada

Yesterday, the CRTC announced new targets and minimum speeds for broadband access across Canada. The CRTC aims for everyone to have broadband access by the end of 2015 with download speeds of at least 5 mbps.

Yesterday, the CRTC announced new targets and minimum speeds for broadband access across Canada. The CRTC aims for everyone to have broadband access by the end of 2015 with download speeds of at least 5 mbps.

Currently, 80% of Canadians have access to broadband Internet at these speeds but due to the challenges of geography, rural and remote areas often fall behind. These new targets are an important update to basic service requirements for telephone and Internet service outlined by the CRTC in 1999, meant to guarantee everyone a basic level of service to telephone and Internet services.

The CRTC expects that these targets will be met through a combination of private investments and targeted government funding and will be monitoring industry's progress.

However, the CRTC chose not to designate the internet as a basic service and decided against providing subsidies in order to meet the targets, relying instead on "market forces" to provide improved service for consumers. This has some doubting whether the targets will be met in areas that are harder or less profitable to service.

Read more at The Wire Report and the CBC