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Idea #14: Poor broadband situation in Canada

Written by robertg69 the 16 Oct 09 at 14:44. Category: Network Neutrality. Related project: Nothing/Others. Status: New
Rationale
Here is an excerpt from CBC.ca":

Canadian broadband blasted by Harvard study
Last Updated: Thursday, October 15, 2009 | 5:38 PM ET Comments212Recommend363
By Peter Nowak, CBC News
Canada rates poorly in a Harvard study that measures adoption, capacity and prices. (IStock)
Canada has some of the poorest high-speed internet service in the developed world and is an example of what not to do from a policy perspective, according to a study by Harvard University.

The 232-page study, commissioned by American regulators and released Wednesday evening, found that Canada rates poorly compared to peer countries when measures such as national broadband adoption, network capacity and prices are taken into account.

Canada was 22nd overall out of 30 countries surveyed by Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet and Society. Canada ranked 16th on broadband adoption, 20th on speed and capacity, and 25th on price. Japan, Sweden and South Korea headed up Harvard's rankings, while the United States placed above Canada at 13th overall.

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Solution #1: Start a ISP coops across Canada
Written by robertg69 the 16 Oct 09 at 14:44.
Since the major Internet providers are the cause of this deplorable situation and since they have little profit incentive to change it, we need a Public Option. The govt wont do it so we Internauts must find a way to intervene by providing low cost high performance competition to the Internet private sector.
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Solution #2: Better Laws or Regulations Ensuring Open, Undiscriminatory Networks
Written by rob.veldpaus the 30 Oct 09 at 12:32.
Tamir Wrote:
Another solution altogether would involve putting in place better laws or regulations ensuring open, undiscriminatory networks, as the US FCC and house of representatives is now beginning to do. This would push ISPs to invest more in their networks, leading to greater infrastructure for everyone. It would also allow for more competitive pressures on incumbents as it would allow smaller ISPs (and potential coops) to differentiate their services more.

Propose your solution


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Tamir (Administrator) wrote on the 16 Oct 09 at 19:41
Excellent idea! Part of the problem is access to infrastructure -- broadband pipes and equipment are expensive and hard to put in place (they require digging!). This is why, for example, smaller ISPs such as those in CAIP are finding it very difficult to compete with established incumbents like Bell and Rogers.

The Harvard report in particular lambasted Canada and the US for relying on market based strategies for addressing our respective national broadband needs. This is why current activity such as MTS's application to government demanding access to new generation equipment built by incumbents is so important. CIAP, MTS, and others cannot hope to build that infrastructure on their own, and so are unable to compete effectively.

With respect to your suggestion, however, this raises a monetary concern (although with our extremely high broadband prices, it might indeed be cheaper to invest in coop infrastructure). Some solutions that have been proposed to that problem include calls for building in fiber optics cables into new apartment buildings, or providing the means for individuals to build their own fiber connections to local centres when building their own homes. Such solutions, if taken up by home builders, would make it easier for all smaller organizations (including coops) to access individual Canadians without having to rely on incumbents such as Bell or Rogers.

Another solution altogether would involve putting in place better laws or regulations ensuring open, undiscriminatory networks, as the US FCC and house of representatives is now beginning to do. This would push ISPs to invest more in their networks, leading to greater infrastructure for everyone. It would also allow for more competitive pressures on incumbents as it would allow smaller ISPs (and potential coops) to differentiate their services more.

Thoughts?

rob.veldpaus wrote on the 30 Oct 09 at 12:31
I like the idea of the co-op. Internet for the people, by the people... after all, the idea is to have an open internet.

I believe that Tamir's solution may just be a better way to go. As such, I will be posting it has a solution. Allowing for open access to the internet is something that should be seen as necessary and not up for debate.


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