CRTC

Cybera’s response to CRTC investigation on disaggregated wholesale access

By / October 6, 2020

On June 11, 2020, the CRTC issued a Call for comments – Appropriate network configuration for disaggregated wholesale high-speed access services. Their goal was to address a number of outstanding issues related to the Commission’s earlier decision (2015-326) to move Canada’s wholesale high speed access regime from a disaggregated to an aggregated model.  Under the previous, …

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Canada’s Throne Speech made big internet promises. Now for the delivery.

By / October 6, 2020

Last week’s Speech from the Throne included many ambitious promises for supporting Canadians as they transition through COVID-19 and adapt to the needs of a 21st Century digital economy. From Cybera’s perspective, one of the more interesting goals mentioned in the speech related to improving connectivity in the country: “The Government will accelerate the connectivity timelines and …

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Federal Government’s hesitation to support fair wholesale rates could make internet less affordable for Canadians

By / September 22, 2020

This past Saturday, August 15, federal minister Navdeep Bains issued a statement expressing concern about the CRTC’s August 2019 decision to cut wholesale internet rates. He stated that “these [reduced] rates may undermine investment in high-quality networks, particularly in rural and remote areas.“ The CRTC is responsible for setting the rates that incumbent network operators …

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Cybera’s response to CRTC consultation on barriers to deploying broadband

By / October 6, 2020

Last week, Cybera submitted a response to the CRTC’s Notice of Consultation 2019-406: Call for comments regarding potential barriers to the deployment of broadband-capable networks in underserved areas in Canada. In 2018, the CRTC finalized the Broadband Fund, a $750 Million investment over five years to fund broadband-capable networks across Canada. Its intention is to: “Fund projects …

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Cybera’s response to telco petition to increase wholesale internet rates

By / September 22, 2020

Last week, Canada’s largest telecommunications providers, including Bell, Rogers and Telus, petitioned the federal government to reverse the CRTC’s August 2019 decision to lower wholesale rates. These rates are what the large telecommunication firms charge to resellers to provide internet services.  In its August 2019 decision, the CRTC stated that; “The Commission considers that the …

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Cybera Supports SWIFT Call For Equal Access to the CRTC’s Broadband Fund

By / October 7, 2020

Bright/translucent lines: Areas where SWIFT estimates internet service provider offer service packages with speeds that meet or exceed CRTC’s 50/10 “basic service” target. Dark hexagons: Areas considered served/ineligible to apply to CRTC fund. Last week, Cybera submitted a letter in support of Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT)’s appeal to the CRTC to reconsider its Broadband …

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Cybera’s Case to the Telecommunications Legislative Review

By / October 7, 2020

Last week, Cybera submitted a brief to the federal government’s Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review panel. The panel has been tasked with reviewing Canada’s communication legislative framework in the digital age, focusing on issues of content creation, net neutrality and cultural diversity, and how to strengthen the future of Canadian media. We would like to …

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New Canadian data mining tool analyzes how public submissions affect regulatory decisions

By / September 23, 2020

When the CRTC sought submissions to its 2015 consultation on “Basic Telecommunications Services,” thousands of people offered their opinions on what the future of Canada’s internet should look like. For the first time ever, these submissions have been made searchable via a single, simple-to-use platform, and a surprisingly varied narrative of struggles and concerns has …

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Delving Through 65,000 Pages of Government Submissions: The Challenges

By / September 23, 2020

Authors: David Ackerman, Alyssa Moore, David Chan, Tatiana Meleshko, Byron Chu Last June, Cybera’s data scientists took on a monumental task: to create a tool that can easily examine the thousands of documents and testimonials that were provided to the CRTC for its 2016 “basic telecommunications service” consultation, and search for key words and common …

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Cybera’s data science team to explore Canada’s internet regulatory process

By / October 14, 2020

A year after launching its data science team, Cybera is now ready to take on external projects from stakeholders looking to discover the utility of their data. For their first major project, the team has received funding to examine the thousands of documents and testimonials that were provided to the CRTC for its 2016 “basic …

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CRTC Declares Broadband Internet Access a Basic Telecommunications Service – How Communities Can Benefit

By / September 22, 2020

Griping about a slow internet connection has become the unofficial pastime of rural Canadians. But a recent CRTC decision may improve this state of affairs. In December 2016, the commission ruled that residential fixed broadband and mobile broadband internet access are basic telecommunications services—equal in importance to the landline telephone of the 20th century. The …

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Internet Buying Group Sees 8th Major Price Decrease

By / September 22, 2020

Following last month’s decision by the CRTC to declare that broadband is a basic service for all Canadians, Cybera is pleased to offer Alberta’s public sector another piece of good news: a major cost reduction in their internet services. As of January 1, 2017, rates for Cybera’s Internet Buying Group have been reduced from $5.00 …

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CRTC Wraps Up Hearing on the Future of Broadband in Canada

By / September 22, 2020

Last month, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) wrapped up a three-week hearing on the future of broadband in Canada. Nearly 90 academics, public interest groups, individuals, municipalities, and telecom companies appeared before the commission to comment on the feasibility of including high speed internet as a “basic telecommunications service.” The scope of the …

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