CRTC takes action to improve cellphone coverage in northern B.C.

OTTAWA, ON and GATINEAU, QC, March 22, 2024 /CNW/ - Today, the CRTC is taking action to improve cellphone service along 70 kilometres of highway in northern British Columbia.

Through its Broadband Fund, the CRTC is providing funding to Rogers Communications to build new cell towers along Highway 37, which will help improve access to emergency services. This project will also have a positive impact on nearby communities—many of which are Indigenous—who will benefit from improved cellphone services in the area.

This project received support from the Chiefs of the Tahltan Band Council and the Iskut Band Council, who described Highway 37 as a vital hub for economic activity. They also noted that better connectivity will bring significant benefits to the region, including in areas such as health, safety, education, social and economic development, and environmental protection.

The CRTC is continuing to assess applications and will make more funding announcements in the coming months.

"We know how important high-quality communications services are to every aspect of peoples' daily lives. Today, we are taking action to help improve cellphone services for communities and travellers along Highway 37 in northern B.C."

- Vicky Eatrides, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, CRTC

• The CRTC is an independent administrative tribunal that regulates the Canadian communications sector in the public interest. The CRTC holds public hearings on telecommunications and broadcasting matters, and makes decisions based on the public record.
• In 2019, the CRTC launched the Broadband Fund to help connect underserved rural, remote and Indigenous communities across Canada. To date, the CRTC has committed over $300 million to improve high-speed Internet and cellphone services in more than 230 communities.
• Following its most recent call for applications, the CRTC received over 100 applications seeking almost $1.9 billion for projects t improve service in rural, remote and Indigenous communities.
• In March 2023, the CRTC launched a public consultation to improve the Broadband Fund by making the application process faster and easier, looking at creating an Indigenous stream, and funding projects that would increase the reliability of networks.
• The CRTC is also working to improve Internet and phone services through its Far North proceeding, and is examining how it can make Canada's telecommunications networks more reliable.

• Broadband Fund – Project funding approval for Rogers Communications Canada Inc.'s mobile wireless project in northern British Columbia (Decision CRTC 2024-69)
• CRTC Broadband Fund: project selected in March 2024
• CRTC takes action to bring high-speed Internet to all communities in Nunavut
• CRTC Broadband Fund: projects selected in December 2023
• Broadband Fund: Closing the Digital Divide in Canada
• Broadband Fund – Third call for applications (Notice of Consultation CRTC 2022-325)
• Broadband Fund – Second call for applications (Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-372)
• Broadband Fund – Call for applications (Notice of Consultation CRTC 2019-191)
• Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2023-89 – Call for comments – Broadband Fund policy review

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SOURCE Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

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