OpenMedia.ca in Favour of CRTC Hearing to Improve Rural Internet Access

Hearing to address Canada’s digital divide

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Date: February 5, 2010

VANCOUVER (BC)– The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has called for a public hearing on October 25th, 2010, regarding the improvement of Internet access in rural areas. To this day, many of these areas are still using low-speed or dial-up Internet.

The public hearing will determine whether or not it should be mandatory for Internet service providers to supply broadband Internet access to rural areas. The hearing will also consider giving small wireless service providers equal access to wireless networks.

For the most part, the telecom industry is not taking the announcement of this hearing well. They believe providing high-speed Internet to rural areas would cost too much money.

This morning, National Coordinator of OpenMedia.ca, Steve Anderson said, “We’re happy to see the CRTC is taking initiative on this issue. Canada is falling behind other OECD countries on several broadband metrics, and it’s essential that we catch up. Globally competitive broadband access, speed and cost are essential to innovation and free expression.”


See the CRTC’s original notice of consultation and hearing: http://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2010/2010-43.htm


Contact:

Steve Anderson
OpenMedia.ca – National Coordinator
604-837-5730
[email protected]