By Ahmad Hathout
The CRTC on Thursday launched its fourth call for money from the Broadband Fund, with this round focused exclusively on fixed broadband and satellite service that must deliver at least the universal service objective of 50 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload speeds.
The applicants must show that they are building new or upgrading existing infrastructure and satellite operators must show they are delivering service in satellite-dependent communities (areas without traditional networks), the commission outlined in the call.
Projects with a transport component must propose rates, terms and conditions to offer that part of the network to other service providers – called open access – at speeds of 100 Mbps, 1 Gbps, or 10 Gbps. Indigenous applicants are exempt from this requirement as part of the CRTC’s initiative to make it easier for them to access funds.
Eligible costs must be related to equipment, labour, training and satellite capacity. Ineligible costs include operational costs to run infrastructure built as a result of the project, which the regulator has been contemplating as part of the Broadband Fund review.
The CRTC said it will prioritize and view favourably projects that: target geographic areas not already forecasted to receive the universal service objective through other funding programs; that deliver satellite service to communities without those minimum speeds; that target the greatest number of households; and that demonstrate a lower cost per household.
The deadline for submissions is August 13.
“Many Canadians continue to face a gap in access to essential Internet services,” CRTC Chair Vicky Eatrides said in a press release. “The CRTC is helping to close this gap through the Broadband Fund. We have made it faster and easier to get funding, and are now seeking new proposals to connect more Canadians to high-quality Internet services.”
The CRTC said it has allocated roughly $769 million to projects to cover more than 54,000 homes in more than 320 communities using the fund.
