I harp about Harper a lot on this blog. But when they do something right I like to applaud the effort. There is a disasterous state of digitization in Canada. There is poor rural access to high-speed Internet. We have userous wireless cost structures run by the oilgarchy of Rogers, Bell and Telus. An we have the indifference of the CRTC to the pubic good in terms of effective regulation.
Now the Harper government seems intent on at least shedding light on this situation.
In Alberta we have a wonderful opportnity to leap ahead in terms of digital connectivity and productivity because of the foresight of the SuperNet. However our goverment seems disinterested in making it available to every citizen, which is possible if you have a copperwire telephone line in you home or business.
Telus owns those lines and have refused to negotiate Internet access to the SuperNet through them. The CRTC recently bought a bogus argument that such use would interfere with other telephone use, something called crosstalk. The technology has advanced way past that problem. Nevertheless, the CRTC recently refused a complaint by an Edmonton based Internet Service Provider to require competative acces to the Telus copper wire and in the process the Commission embarassed themselves in holding to such an arcaine misunderstanding of the technological reality of today.
Poor productivity is a major issue facing the Canadian and Alberta economies. Connectivity is a key to improved productivity. The world gets it and has started to move way past the pedantic and pathetic connectivity policies of Canada. Alberta is perhaps the most to bear the brunt of such criticism. We have the SuperNet and a government with no sense of its potential or how to realize it for the benfit of Albertans. Sad but true.
Thanks for bringing this issue up again Ken.
ReplyDeleteThere is a long article on "How the CRTC and Industry Canada Are Denying Rural-based Albertans High Speed Internet" posted on the front page at www.incentre.net for those interested in this sad state of affairs.
Ken,
ReplyDeleteWe're only poor farmers out here; what do we need with high speed Internet?
I just hope the fine, upstanding (well-to-do) folks in St Albert have it. Goodness knows, "they deserve it," or so I am led to understand.
I am a big fan of productivity improvement in Canada, but alas I don't think the Canadian public really understands the significance of this issue. Many are finding they need to work more hours to maintain the same standard of living, hence the feeling they work hard, and therefore are productive enough.
ReplyDelete30 minutes outside of the city of Edmonton and the only reasonably fast Internet is via satelite.
ReplyDeleteUrban Albertans can get much better service and much more reasonable rates. Out here the Supernet ends at the school and village office. We are ready for hook-up but there sits the railhead of connectivity... just spitting distance away... and no one in any hurry to ensure all Albertans have the same access.
What does it mean when people say rural Albertans have too much representation? As far as I'm concerned, those MLAs are not doing much for rural Alberta aside from supporting a caucus of members beholding to issues not too much related to rural issues.
Berry Farmer: I've talked to and filed with the Government of Alberta, the CRTC, Industry Canada, Telus, Axia (the Supernet manager) and so far have had zero results in getting access to the copper wires that Telus and Bell use in urban Canada that I and my competitors want to use in rural Alberta to provide broadband services to you.
ReplyDeleteI can absolutely assure you that your various levels of Government that are supposed to represent you don't give a damn about whether you get broadband or not, otherwise you would have access, all Industry Canada bleatings to the contrary.
It's a sad fact but Ontario and Quebec have no Supernet but Service Providers have access to the last mile phone lines, and in Alberta that has Supernet, Service Providers have no access to last mile phone line copper.
Your Governments at work. Do you sometimes get the feeling that the Catch-22 readers are laughing their asses off? Where is Yossarian to help us understand this when you need him?