Despite the trend toward greater access, pockets of Powell River Regional District still have no connection to broadband Internet, which is something the regional government would like to see changed, said board chair Patrick Brabazon.
The regional district board has commissioned another report to look into the issue locally, said Brabazon. In 2009 and 2011, the local government contracted Joseph McLean, owner of Full Solution Computers, to report on the issue. McLean will provide another report this year.
“It’s been thoroughly annoying up here in [Electoral] Area A, but it’s a problem found throughout rural British Columbia,” said Brabazon.
McLean said his 2016 report, which he expects to have completed by the end of the month, will be comprehensive and look back at his findings from five and seven years ago to make comparisons on the range of availability and price.
McLean said that in general, the public holds Internet access in the same regard as being able to send letters and parcels in the mail or being able to pick up the phone to talk to friends.
“These are things they really need,” said McLean. “Water is still more important, but Internet is pretty close.”
Access has improved since 2011, particularly in the City of Powell River where Telus rolled out fibre optic service last year, and in rural areas where mobile Internet through cellular towers has become faster, but there are still rural areas without any connections. North of town, around Craig Road, is one of those areas, as is Saltery Bay, where there is either no access or very limited access.
Where broadband Internet has not been available from cable or telephone companies, residents have had to look at alternative providers, cellular data, satellite connections or even sticking with near-obsolete dial-up connections. Now, the latter option is being discontinued due to low demand, said McLean.
Seven years ago when he completed his first report, McLean heard from people who said their dial-up connection was not fast enough for basic webpages. Fast forward to 2016 and the technology is so outdated that it may only be useful for email, he said. Even the fastest broadband connections may be considered a minimal standard now.
“There were complaints about how slow and limiting dial-up was then,” said McLean. Now that the service is being ended, people will have to look at satellite or mobile options, and both cost more than dial-up, he said.
“I can understand the frustration of people losing their dial-up access,” he added. “Not everyone wants to watch movies online, have video conferences or surf multimedia-heavy websites.”
McLean noted the cost of mobile has remained high, prohibitively so for some users, he said.
When McLean’s 2016 report is complete it will provide the board with an up-to-date snapshot on the situation and information to allow the regional government to step up their advocacy, said Brabazon.
“It’s up to the federal government really,” he said. “They have the muscle and the hammer.”
According to Brabazon, all local governments can do is “keep pressure” on Internet service providers and push senior levels of government to create regulations that ensure more equitable access to the Internet for people living in areas not serviced because of low population density.
McLean wants to hear about the community’s experience with access; “the good and the bad,” he said. McLean can be reached by telephone at 604.485.8212 or by email at [email protected].
