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### Viewing cable 09OTTAWA300, Broadband Deployment in Canada

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Reference ID | Created | Released | Classification | Origin
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
09OTTAWA300 | 2009-04-17 13:01 | 2011-04-28 00:12 | UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY | Embassy Ottawa

`

    VZCZCXRO2748
    PP RUEHGA RUEHHA RUEHMT RUEHQU RUEHVC
    DE RUEHOT #0300/01 1071358
    ZNR UUUUU ZZH
    P 171358Z APR 09
    FM AMEMBASSY OTTAWA
    TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9341
    RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
    RUCNCAN/ALL CANADIAN POSTS COLLECTIVE

` `

    UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 000300

    STATE FOR E, EB/DCT, WHA/EX, WHA/CAN

    STATE FOR EEB/CAP/BA (FINTON)

    COMMERCE FOR ITA/OTEC (BENNETT)

    STATE PASS FCC (TANNER)

    SENSITIVE
    SIPDIS

    E.O. 12958: N/A
    TAGS: ECON ECPS CA

    SUBJECT: Broadband Deployment in Canada

    Ref:   SECSTATE 27310

    SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED.  PLEASE PROTECT ACCORDINGLY

    ¶1.  (SBU) Summary:  Canada moved quickly to achieve extensive,
    cross-country broadband deployment early this decade and leads the
    G7 in national connectivity rates. This achievement is particularly
    impressive given the size and geography of Canada and it showcases
    the government's commitment to broadband access.  However, Canada's
    continued expansion and adaptation of broadband technologies is
    hindered by the competitive structure of the Canadian market,
    characterized by a limited number of carriage providers, low
    population density, and barriers to investment.  End summary

    Extent of broadband deployment in Canada
    ----------------------------------------

    ¶2.  (U) According to 2006 Government of Canada data, broadband
    service is available to 93 percent of Canadian households; 75
    percent of Canadians have a home computer; and 60 percent of
    households are broadband subscribers. Approximately 87 percent of
    households in Canada have a choice between telephone- or cable-based
    broadband.

    The evolution of Canada's broadband penetration
    --------------------------------------------- ---

    ¶3.  (U) Canada has a low population density - approximately 2.05
    people per square mile - and most of Canada's 30 million people live
    within 100 miles of the United States border. Most of this
    population is easily reached by telephone or cable infrastructure.
    However, Canada's relatively small population density outside of the
    major cities of Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver, provides weak
    commercial incentives for telecommunications investment.
    Consequently, the Government of Canada embarked on an aggressive
    strategy to stimulate broadband expansion in the country in the late
    1990s.

    ¶4.  (U) The Canadian strategy combined regulatory and market-based
    initiatives, set out in broad strokes in the 2001 Report of the
    National Broadband Task Force.  Government spending was loaded at
    the front end of the initiative and gradually reduced to a few
    programs to assist incremental expansion in underserved areas.

    ¶5.  (U) Canada also brought the private sector on board through
    regulatory incentives and licensing schemes such as: making certain
    telecommunications licenses conditional on broadband investment; a
    two-percent levy for connectivity improvement paid by satellite TV
    license holders; and the condition that spectrum license holders
    must also provide WiMAx mobile broadband service.

    Incentives for internet deployment in stimulus packages
    --------------------------------------------- ----------

    ¶6.  (U) Since most of the government initiatives took place between
    2001 and 2007 (and 93 percent household coverage was achieved by
    2006), there has been little recent government spending on broadband
    infrastructure.  While Canada's 2009 federal budget included various
    types of science and technology supports, there was no appreciable
    targeting of broadband expansion.  In July of 2008, an interagency
    group of Canadian officials told visiting FCC Commissioner Copps
    that they were pleased with Canada's progress and had no plans for
    additional, significant initiatives to expand broadband
    availability.

    Deployment of broadband to rural and underserved areas
    --------------------------------------------- ---------

    ¶7.  (U) The Canadian regions of Yukon, Nunavut and Northwest
    Territories comprise 41 percent of Canada's land mass, but only 0.4
    percent of its population. The land is rugged and difficult to
    Qpercent of its population. The land is rugged and difficult to
    service with infrastructure of any kind.  As a result, comprehensive
    broadband penetration in Canada's far north and other remote areas
    has not been realized.  Nevertheless, the government predicts that
    the access gap will close as technology improves and fixed wireless
    and satellite services become less expensive.

    Limitations arising from the Canadian market structure
    --------------------------------------------- ---------

    ¶8.  (U) Canada's incumbent telecom and cable broadband
    infrastructure is controlled by a small number of companies.

    OTTAWA 00000300  002 OF 002

    Although access to the 'last mile' of networks and to telephone
    broadband equipment is being slowly de-regulated, Canada's small
    population and large size make it a costly market to service.  As
    well, federal restrictions on foreign ownership of
    telecommunications (and satellite) industries shrink the pool of
    potential new competitors in the marketplace even further.

    ¶9.  (U) While Canada's broadband deployment is impressive for so
    large a country, Canada lags behind its OECD counterparts in service
    and price.  The average broadband connection in Canada is about 7
    mbps, below the OECD average of 9 mbps.  According to the OECD,
    Canada also fares poorly in internet cost versus speed, ranking 27
    out of 30 for average monthly broadband charges.  Canada also
    imposes download caps on subscribers.  Typical limits on Canadian
    internet connections are 60 GB per month, with higher-end plans
    offering around 100 GB.
    ¶10.  (U) Local-loop unbundling is a practice that allows smaller
    ISPs to rent out portions of a large phone company's network and
    then attach their own equipment to provide customers with internet
    access.  While Canada's regulations permit local-loop unbundling,
    its telecommunications firms have tended to erect barriers that
    limit practical access by smaller firms to the main network.
    ¶11.  (U) As wireless technologies play a more important role in
    internet connectivity, Canada's relatively expensive and
    underdeveloped wireless services have also become more of an
    impediment.  For example, Apple's iPhone was introduced in Canada
    one year later than in the US and UK, and there is only one company
    able to provide necessary GSM support service.  Canada's mobile data
    costs are among the highest in the world and the World Economic
    Forum dropped Canada's 'network readiness' status from 5th place in
    2005 to 13th place in 2008.

    Future prospects and US commercial opportunities
    --------------------------------------------- ---

    ¶12.  (SBU) Comment: The government's official strategy is to
    increase reliance on market forces "to the maximum extent feasible"
    in order to promote competition while maintaining advanced services
    for customers.  Canada has promised a gradual transition to
    deregulation of networks and telephone-based broadband equipment
    once equivalent commercial alternatives are sufficiently available.
    However, the hands-on regulatory environment that helped Canada
    rapidly expand its broadband deployment may now impede growth and
    adaptation in the sector.  Given the factors limiting competition,
    it is by no means certain whether affordable consumer access to new
    technology and next-generation networks can be sustained without
    significant government intervention.  The government is currently
    re-assessing its role in telecommunications and is leaning towards
    stronger deregulation, including consideration of permitting foreign
    investment in telecommunications carriers.  End comment.

`