BELLEVILLE, ON, – The Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus and Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) is applauding $71 million in funding from the Ontario Government to improve cell service in Eastern Ontario, calling mobile broadband “critical to regional growth”.
EORN pitched a $213 million plan to the federal and provincial governments last May seeking to improve the reach and quality of cellular data services in the region.
According to an engineering study commissioned by EORN, about one quarter of the area where there are homes, businesses or major roads in the region cannot access any cellular services, and, depending on the cell carrier, nearly two-thirds of the area doesn’t have enough capacity to provide high quality mobile broadband service given growing demand.
“The gaps are the result of market failure”, EORN said in a statement. “Rural areas don’t generate enough revenue for cell carriers to build adequate services. The CRTC recently designated both mobile and fixed broadband as basic services for all Canadians. A public-private partnership would reduce carriers’ infrastructure costs, creating a stronger business case to improve services and meet the CRTC’s basic services goals.”
EORN, a non-profit created by the EOWC, helped to improve broadband access to nearly 90% of Eastern Ontario through a $175 million fixed broadband network funded by the federal, provincial and municipal governments and private sector service providers. It works with governments and community organizations to improve and leverage broadband access to fuel economic development and growth across the region.
