Rules must change because small companies can better fill rural broadband gaps

By Perry Hoffman

$7 billion needed to get to everyone, everywhereOTTAWA – The federal government must adopt policies and alter regulatory frameworks and wireless spectrum allocation rules in order to clear a path for smaller, independent telecom service providers to expand the reach of broadband networks in rural and remote regions of the country, according to a Parliamentary committee.Tabled in the House of Commons on Tuesday by the Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology, Broadband Connectivity in Rural Canada: Overcoming the Digital Divide recommends a number of actions the Liberals could take to improve broadband deployment in Canada’s underserved communities.The report notes...