Local and Indigenous governments, particularly those in rural and remote areas, are invited to submit comments to the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission in support of a Part 1 application from the BC Ministry of Citizens’ Services. The deadline for comments is Friday, November 29, 2024, 5 pm PST.
To submit comments:
Visit Part 1 applications that are currently open for comment
Scroll to: 8000-P114-202404929 / Application to disclose certain Annual Facilities Survey data / Province of British Columbia.
Click “Submit”
Accept the terms and conditions.
Click “In support” and write a comment in the comment box or attach a document.
A CRTC account is not required to submit a comment.
Key points made in the Part 1 application
Access to accurate connectivity data is important to communities, administrative and management operations, including the ongoing work of the Province to expand connectivity.
Providing street information at a tighter level on the ISED Internet Availability Map will enable to the public to understand accurately the service options in their location.
The current hex unit on the ISED map is too large and shows service options not actually available in a location, a circumstance worsened for small footprint communities served by a mix of technologies.
Hex units can overlap multiple communities, making it impossible to discern service levels and providers in individual communities.
This data is integral to ensuring that all citizens, including in rural and remote areas, can access reliable, high-speed internet and mobile wireless services by knowing which services are available to them.
Service information not consistently treated by providers as confidential should not continue to be held in confidence by the CRTC.
Access to broadband, mobile wireless, and transport coverage information is key to enabling the Province to identify the final homes that require high-speed internet connectivity.
Background
The BC Ministry of Citizens’ Services’ Part 1 application calls on the CRTC to change the way it shares data about broadband internet and mobile wireless connectivity:
Change confidentiality restrictions to enable the ISED Internet Availability Map to display internet coverage and service speed data in greater detail—specifically, show internet coverage per 250-metre road segment, which would be more precise than the current mapping by 22 km hexagonal unit;
Share with all provincial and territorial governments the complete facilities data sets provided to the CRTC by internet and mobile wireless service providers; and Share with all interested provincial and territorial governments, in confidence, the transport data collected from service providers.
The more granular data sharing requested by the Province supports provincial planning for the advancement of connectivity projects and the design of future funding programs across each province and territory. It also enables the public, local governments, and First Nations to better understand the state of connectivity within their location via the ISED Internet Availability Map. The Part 1 application does not ask for any confidential information from service providers. This aligns with resolution 2021-EB48, Rural Broadband Connectivity, endorsed by the UBCM membership.
Questions about the Part 1 application to the CRTC, and the process for submitting comments, may be directed to Connected Communities: connectedcommunities@gov.bc.ca