The quality of Canadian internet access continues to decline in comparison to that of other countries. See, for example, previous Slaw posts here and here. This while high speed access is more increasingly considered crucial for the economy, competitiveness and innovation – even to the extent that many feel that the internet is a fundamental human right.
The Canadian government talked about a digital strategy in its recent throne speech, but so far we don’t know what that translates to.
Contrast that with what is happening in the US. The US FCC just announced an aggressive plan to upgrade internet access and speed. The FCC says “Like electricity a century ago, broadband is a foundation for economic growth, job creation, global competitiveness and a better way of life.”
And Google plans to build trial locations to bring fiber to the home in at least 1 US city with speeds of 1 gigabit per second. (That’s over 200 times faster than we get at home now.) Google draws parallels to the space race.
University of Waterloo president David Johnston is quoted in a CBC article saying:
“There’s a lack of understanding that ICT [information communications technology] is a transforming set of technologies, as important as the printing press was 500 years ago. Because Western Europe understood the transforming qualities of the printing press, it took off. Chinese society, Islamic society and Indian society did not,
We are at least in that kind of measurable comparison today. Those societies that have a better understanding of the digital economy will prosper very quickly and those that don’t will not. We’ve had a failure of imagination there.”
In a keynote address at a recent emarketing seminar at Fanshawe College, Mitch Joel said that history will look back on this time period as a renaissance. Digitization and connectivity are resulting in fundamental changes in the way we work and live.
We can’t afford to be on the sidelines for this.
“Canada Needs Broadband Boost”
It sure does, since it’s lagging behind many other countries with speed and pricing!
Someone should have a long and serious talk with Bell and their advertising methods, since they are not being honest with their customers.
Bell advertises Fibe 12 on their web site for $36.95, but good luck trying to get them to honour that rate!!
http://www.bell.ca/shopping/internet.portal?_nfpb=true&_windowLabel=PrsShpInt_NewAccess_internetBrowse_portlet&PrsShpInt_NewAccess_internetBrowse_portlet_actionOverride=%2Fportlets%2Fpersonal%2Finternet%2Fbrowse%2FgetDetailPage&_pageLabel=PrsShpInt_NewAccess
When my One Bill arrives every month, they ding me for $55.90 for the service3 and when I question them about the difference, they claim:
1) That rate is for new customers.
2) That rate is No longer available.
O.K., which one is it? I was a new customer when I signed up for the upgrade, but never got the advertised rate!
Sounds like a Scam to me!!
Forget faster speeds, how about unlimited downloads! I’m a Rogers customer, and they just “doubled” their fees for going over any caps! I believe there are a few US internet providers that, for their “higher end” customers (such as Rogers’ Extreme type service) there are no downloading caps. That’s why they have services like Hulu and Netflix. Yet Rogers just changed their rates and are charging DOUBLE for going over your download limit! I don’t mind the speed… I want the download cap removed!