[kwlug-disc] SWIFT's take on yesterday's CRTC ruling

[CrankyOldBugger]

I'm sure by now all of you have heard the news about internet being
declared an essential service here in Canada.  I thought you'd like to hear
the response from SWIFT, the people who are trying to bring gigabit service
to small towns and rural areas in Southern-western Ontario.


*CRTC declares broadband a basic service. SWIFT will make this a reality in
southwestern Ontario, Caledon, and Niagara Region.*
After more than a year and a half of hearings and consultations with
Canadians, advocacy groups, and service providers from across the country,
the Canadian Radio Television and Communications Commission (CRTC) declared
that broadband Internet connectivity is a basic telecommunications service
for all Canadians. The announcement also included significantly improved
target speeds of 50 Mbps download and 10 Mpbs upload, provisions for
unlimited data plans, and the creation of a new fund that will invest up to
$750 million over the next five years over and above existing government
programs and commitments.

"The future of our economy, our prosperity and our society — indeed, the
future of every citizen — requires us to set ambitious goals, and to get on
with connecting all Canadians for the 21st century," said Jean-Pierre
Blais, the CRTC's chair, at a news conference in Gatineau, Quebec.

"On behalf of the SWIFT Board, I would like to congratulate the CRTC for
taking a progressive step forward with this ruling," said SWIFT Board Chair
Gerry Marshall. "For more than five years, SWIFT has maintained that
regardless of where you live, you deserve high quality, high speed Internet
service and we are pleased to see our national regulatory body take
significant steps toward supporting the importance of connecting rural
Canadians. While it is too soon to determine if SWIFT will seek additional
funding through the new CRTC program, SWIFT will make this ruling come to
life by building broadband for everyone in southwestern Ontario, Caledon
and Niagara Region."

"The target speeds set by the CRTC are still well below global standards of
1 Gbps or higher symmetrical upload and download - which is our target at
SWIFT - but they certainly raise the bar above the current national goal of
5 Mpbs," said Executive Director Geoff Hogan. "Most importantly, the CRTC
ruling noted that broadband access cannot be driven by regulators alone and
underscored the importance of ensuring affordability and choice among
service providers. This is exactly what SWIFT will do for our communities."

The SWIFT Initiative is based on the principle that everyone in Western
Ontario deserves access to high-speed Internet, regardless of the size of
their community, their age, education, or where they work. SWIFT will build
an affordable, open-access, ultra-high-speed fibre-optic regional broadband
network for everyone in southwestern Ontario and Niagara Region.
 Relevant additional information about the CRTC ruling:

   - Summary of Key Decision Points
   <http://swiftnetwork.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7b5cf2498b3ccb1f1059317e5&id=fdb5347340&e=41d1f8ae0f>
   - CRTC Chair Jean-Pierre Blais December 21, 2016 speech on the broadband
   ruling
   <http://swiftnetwork.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7b5cf2498b3ccb1f1059317e5&id=6d5535d940&e=41d1f8ae0f>
   - Backgrounder on the new CRTC Broadband Fund
   <http://swiftnetwork.us7.list-manage.com/track/click?u=7b5cf2498b3ccb1f1059317e5&id=8bae426e6c&e=41d1f8ae0f>
   - CRTC's plans on closing the broadband gap
   <http://swiftnetwork.us7.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=7b5cf2498b3ccb1f1059317e5&id=b6ea5fdba4&e=41d1f8ae0f>
   - CBC coverage of the CRTC broadband ruling
   <http://swiftnetwork.us7.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=7b5cf2498b3ccb1f1059317e5&id=f7cdc78510&e=41d1f8ae0f>

 To find out more information about the SWIFT initiative, please visit
www.swiftnetwork.ca
<http://swiftnetwork.us7.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=7b5cf2498b3ccb1f1059317e5&id=bdd10900e5&e=41d1f8ae0f>
 or contact:

   - Gerry Marshall, Chair – SWIFT Board Chair, at chair at swiftnetwork.ca or
   705-726-9300 x 1226
   - Geoff Hogan, Executive Director, at Geoff.hogan at swiftnetwork.ca or
   519-375-6172
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://kwlug.org/pipermail/kwlug-disc_kwlug.org/attachments/20161222/0ec78633/attachment.htm>