Universal Rural Broadband Impractical, Telecom Carriers Argue

11:57 am on October 28, 2010 | Category: Business, Internet, Regulation, Telecom Services

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Expanding high-speed internet services to all of Canada’s remote and rural regions would cost approximately $7-billion over 10 years and is currently impractical, according to a number of telecom providers testifying at a CRTC hearing this week.

Such a move to completely “bridge the digital divide” in Canada cannot be achieved by market forces alone, and if mandated by government, “the cost will be borne by consumers and businesses,” according to Kelvin Shepherd, the president of Winnipeg-based telecom carrier, MTS AllStream.

Telus Corp.’s senior vice president for regulatory and government affairs, Michael Hennessy, confirmed MTS AllStream’s estimates, noting that the cost of extending broadband infrastructure to every home in the country is simply too high. Instead, he predicted that new technologies such as wireless broadband would ultimately have to close the gap.

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    1. Odd, they all have CBC CTV and Electricity
      most Have Cell Phones and Towers…I remember the day they said Telephones was not possible out of
      major Cities…Yikes need new Corporation with a Yes we can attitude. Try China

      Comment by help america — October 29, 2010 #

    2. Heaven forbid if these greedy gouging internet providers would have to give something back.
      Better for them to just sit back and watch as the internet becomes more and more high speed friendly, and just leave those rural folk to rot in their stone age world of dial up.

      Comment by Myron Dadsson — October 29, 2010 #

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