Lagging or Leading:
The state of Canada’s broadband infrastructure
Mark H. Goldberg & Associates Inc. Page ii
Mark H. Goldberg& Associates Inc.
www.mhgoldberg.com
Contents
Abstract ....................................................................................................... i
Contents ..................................................................................................... ii
Figures ...................................................................................................... iii
Tables ....................................................................................................... iii
0
Executive summary ................................................................................... 1
0.1
Conclusion ........................................................................................ 3
0.2
Recommendations ............................................................................... 4
1
Introduction ............................................................................................ 5
1.1
Canadian broadband investment .............................................................. 6
1.2
Purpose ............................................................................................ 7
2
Defining broadband ................................................................................... 8
3
Broadband technologies ............................................................................. 11
3.1
DSL and FTTN ................................................................................... 11
3.2
Cable – DOCSIS .................................................................................. 13
3.3
FTTH / FTTP ..................................................................................... 14
3.4
Wireless broadband ............................................................................ 15
3.4.1
Fixed wireless .............................................................................. 15
3.4.2
Nomadic and mobile wireless ........................................................... 16
3.5
Satellite broadband ............................................................................ 18
4
Canada in the world ................................................................................. 20
4.1
Current statistics in Canada ................................................................... 21
4.1.1
Availability and coverage ................................................................ 21
4.1.2
Adoption and penetration ................................................................ 23
4.2
International comparisons ..................................................................... 24
4.2.1
Types of indicators ........................................................................ 25
4.2.2
Adoption of broadband internet ........................................................ 25
4.2.3
Broadband availability and coverage ................................................... 31
4.2.4
Broadband pricing and speed ............................................................ 35
4.3
Additional considerations...................................................................... 39
4.3.1
Socio-economic factors ................................................................... 39
4.3.2
Geography and population density ..................................................... 42
4.4
Summarizing the current debate ............................................................. 43
5
The increasing politicization of broadband ...................................................... 45
5.1
Economic prosperity ........................................................................... 45
5.2
Wholesale obligations on next-generation networks ...................................... 47
5.3
Closing the digital divide ...................................................................... 48
5.4
New media and content control issues ...................................................... 49
5.5
Neutrality in the network ..................................................................... 50
5.6
International broadband stimulus plans ..................................................... 52
5.6.1
Government measures and initiatives .................................................. 55
5.6.2
Is government involvement the “silver bullet”? ...................................... 58
6
Summary .............................................................................................. 60
6.1
Universal availability of broadband in Canada ............................................. 61
6.2
The availability of next-generation broadband ............................................ 63
6.3
Adoption and the unexplained gap ........................................................... 64
6.4
International comparisons and lessons ...................................................... 67
A
Appendix A: How did we get here? ................................................................ 69
B
Appendix B: Rankings and statistics ............................................................... 73
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