The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has recently awarded $17 million through its Broadband Fund to enhance cell phone service along major roads in Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, and Ontario.
The funds have been granted to Bell Canada, TBayTel, TELUS Communications Inc., and Sogetel Mobilité Inc. These companies will use the funding to construct new cell towers, improving connectivity and ensuring safer travel for Canadians on these routes. This will improve cell phone service along nearly one hundred kilometres of major roads in these three provinces.
The CRTC’s initiative aims to “close the digital divide” by enhancing broadband and mobile coverage in rural and remote areas. Currently, 99.4 percent of Canada’s population has access to mobile LTE services, with 87.2 percent of major transportation roads and highways covered. However, some rural and remote communities still lack adequate access to broadband speeds of at least 50 Mbps download, 10 Mbps upload, and unlimited data.
Launched in 2019, the CRTC’s Broadband Fund has been instrumental in connecting over 250 rural, remote, and Indigenous communities across Canada. The fund has significantly improved high-speed Internet and cellphone service for schools, healthcare facilities, and community centers.
This recent announcement reflects a nationwide effort to enhance connectivity for all Canadians, driven by federal incentives that promote innovation and the adoption of accessible cutting-edge technology.
