Press Release: Internet Speeds Study

 

Opportunity for TNRD Residents to Participate in Internet Speeds Study

Press Release / June 16, 2021

Kamloops, BC—June 16, 2021— to help understand broadband needs throughout the region, particularly those in rural areas, TNRD residents, businesses and community stakeholders are encouraged to take part in an online internet speed test.

All TNRD residents can go to https://performance.cira.ca/bc to perform a quick and easy Canadian speed test. Community data collected will be used to analyze the speeds that residents in the region are actually experiencing, compared to the internet speed data published on the federal government’s National Broadband Internet Service Availability Map.

The speed test data will be collected and analyzed by TANEx Engineering, who has been engaged by the provincial Ministry of Citizens’ Services, Northern Development Initiative Trust, and the Union of BC Municipalities to collect the speed test data from all around BC.

Residents are urged to participate as soon as possible to ensure the Thompson-Nicola Regional District is adequately represented. The more tests that are completed, the more robust the data about internet speeds experienced throughout the region.

For more information, go to www.tnrd.ca/rural-broadband.

Media contact:
Ron Storie, Director of Community Services
Thompson-Nicola Regional District
Tel.: 250-377-7078
Email: rstorie@tnrd.ca

Improving Rural Internet Connectivity

Wilgengebroed on Flickr / CC BY

Residents will have received a letter in the mail from TNRD with a link to a survey regarding experiences with internet for personal or business use. Many of us work and study from home and are struggling to get the connectivity we need. Meanwhile, we continue to pay for services we're not receiving. 

Please complete the survey before October 5, 2020.

https://www.tnrd.ca/stay-connected/surveys/

Petition for High Speed Fibre Optic Network at Lac Le Jeune

Please sign this petition if you would like to have better home Internet services at Lac Le Jeune.

I want pure fibre internet!

TELUS PureFibre™ network isn't available in the Lac Le Jeune area (obviously) but they are collecting data to see which communities are hoping for this service in the future.

Please complete the Telus I WANT PURE FIBRE INTERNET form!

Letter from Network BC regarding internet service

The letter below was received by Kathy Wyse following an inquiry regarding poor internet service in Lac Le Jeune. It is shared with permission.

In addition, this is a summary of a Kathy's telephone conversation with Network BC:

* The quickest way to get increased speed in our internet is to change our internet server to explore net. In the past month they have access to new satellites which can upgrade us to 25 MB.
 * We could contact a small internet provider (Copper Valley Business, Glen Whittrock). He may be able to put up a cell tower on top of the old LLJ ski hill to provide us service. We should remind him that there is funding available through ‘Connecting BC’ (see below).
 * We are currently paying for service through Telus that we are not receiving. Therefore we can make a complaint through CCTS (see below)

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From: "Network BC MTIC:EX" <NetworkBC@gov.bc.ca>

Subject: High-Speed Interent in Lac le Jeune

Date: May 11, 2017 at 9:22:50 AM PDT

To: "Network BC MTIC:EX" <NetworkBC@gov.bc.ca>

Cc: "Network BC MTIC:EX" <NetworkBC@gov.bc.ca>

Dear Citizen: 

Your recent correspondence regarding high-speed Internet coverage in Lac le Jeune has been conveyed to Network BC in the Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services.  We are pleased to respond to your request for assistance.  Network BC understands the important role of telecommunications and in particular the Internet in enabling citizens to participate in a digital world.

The Province relies on the private sector to provide Internet services throughout British Columbia.  Telecommunications companies are regulated federally by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), therefore, the Province cannot compel Internet service providers where to make their investments and provide their services.    The Province does, however, work with Internet service providers and other levels of government to address the Province’s goal of achieving high-speed Internet access to 100% of British Columbians.    

Network BC has reached out to Internet service providers operating in the area to determine the status of connectivity.  In addition, we encourage you, and your neighbors who do not have access to Internet service, to reach out to TELUS and other Internet service providers to convey your interest in the expansion of high-speed Internet service in your area. Please find contact information below:

·         For TELUS, contact Aurora Sekela, Community Ambassador, at (604) 836-8788or at Aurora.Sekela@telus.com

·         For Copper Valley Computers ltd. (dba NicolaNET), contact Glenn Wittrock at(250)378-6986 or at Contact@coppervalleycomputers.com

·         For Shaw Communications Inc., contact Kiersten Enemark, Government and Regulatory Affairs for BC, at (604) 629-3103 or at Kiersten.Enemark@sjrb.ca

Recently, two new satellites have been launched bringing significant increase to Internet speed to rural citizens, offering speeds of up to 25Mbps.  Interested residents can visithttps://www.xplornet.com/new-satellite-program/ or call  1-877-959-5717 for more information.     

Community stakeholders in areas where high-speed Internet service is currently not offered are advised to reach out to service providers and local governments to consider cost sharing strategies and to take advantage of the programs referred to below to address the lack of broadband access in their communities.   The Province supports programs to incent Internet service providers to expand services into areas where companies would otherwise find it difficult to establish a business case.  For example, the Province conveyed funding to the Northern Development Initiative Trust to expand the Connecting British Columbia program.  Please see http://www.northerndevelopment.bc.ca/funding-programs/business-development/connecting-british-columbia/.    In addition, there are two other programs that may also assist: 

·         Third Rural Dividend Intake - The third intake of the BC Rural Dividend Program is open from April 3, 2017 to May 31, 2017. The new Program Guide and supporting documents is available at this link:  http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/economic-development/developing-your-community/community-partners/rural-economic-development/rural-dividend

·         2017 UBCM Strategic Priorities Fund Intake - Local Governments are invited to prepare applications for the 2017 Strategic Priorities Fund (SPF) intake.  . All applications must be submitted by end of day on June 1, 2017.  The SPF Program Guide and instructions are available at this link:  http://www.ubcm.ca/EN/main/funding/renewed-gas-tax-agreement/strategic-priorities-fund.html

Telecommunications is regulated by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). The CRTC is holding two public consultations to explore the viability of telecommunications as an essential service under federal regulation associated with Telecom Regulatory Policy 2016-496  titled Modern telecommunications services – The path forward for Canada’s digital economy. 

·         2017-92 - Call for comments - Phase-out of the local service subsidy regime - Deadline for submission of interventions: May 25, 2017.  

·         2017-112 - Call for comments - Development of the Commission’s broadband funding regime – Deadline for submission of interventions:  June 28, 2017.

We would encourage you to participate in the above public consultations as well as contact the CRTC to voice your opinion over whether you believe high-speed Internet (broadband) should be a basic service and to convey your concern over the availability of broadband service in your area.  The contact information for the CRTC can be found at this link: http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/contact/#internet_choice. It’s important for governments at all levels to hear directly from citizens and we urge you to share your views with the Federal government. 

Finally, complaints regarding issues related to your service provider should be directed to  the

Commission for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS). The CCTS is an independent organization that helps customers resolve complaints.  Some links below may be helpful: 

·         Complaints Process:  http://www.ccts-cprst.ca/complaints/complaints-process

·         Guide to Making a Complaint:  http://www.ccts-cprst.ca/complaints/guide

·         How to Make a Complaint:  http://www.ccts-cprst.ca/complaints/how-to

·         List of Participating Service Providers and their websites and their link to Filing a Complaint:  http://www.ccts-cprst.ca/complaints/service-providers

We hope the information presented above is helpful to the citizens of Lac le Jeune.

Sincerely,

Network BC |Office of the Chief Information Officer for the Province

Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizens’ Services

Province of British Columbia

Want better internet service?

UPDATE

Jackie Tegart initiated a conference call with Perry Wingenbach in response to a letter sent regarding our poor internet service. The next steps are Jackie Tegart's office will meet with Telus Wednesday, May 10th, and follow up with Perry. Stay tuned!

If we all continue to write letters and make phone calls to express our dissatisfaction with Lac Le Jeune internet service, we'll make some progress. 

Please contact MLA Jackie Tegart

(Jackie.Tegart.MLA@leg.bc.ca)

Photo by Marcelo Graciolli https://flic.kr/p/5h48hK

Members of our community have been inquiring about better internet service for some time now. However, service seems to continue to get worse. Many residents are frustrated with paying for high speed internet yet experiencing dial-up speeds.

Telus has stated:

There is no plan to make any upgrades at Lac Le Jeune area as there is no concentration of population.

Currently there are NO PORTS available for anyone wanting new internet service at Lac Le Jeune.

Steve Roy reported that he promptly heard back from the MLA's office and they are willing to bring up the fact that Telus isn't prepared to do anything for the residents of LLJ with the Ministry of Technology, Innovation and Citizens Services. Steve was also advised that the more people emailing their concerns to our MLA the better.

Internet Service in Lac Le Jeune

Dear Neighbours:

Recently I have lost my internet service with Telus due to a third party mix-up. I thought it would be a simple matter of just reconnecting through Telus but I was shocked at the answer to my request. They could only offer me a 1 Mps service, which for anyone not familiar that means twice as fast as a dialup connection and 1/5th the speed of most people in the neighbourhood now.

I cannot run my business with that speed of service. Upon digging a bit further I was told that whatever the level of service our sub-station can do it is basically maxed out and there is no plans to increase its capability using the old technology that is in the station now.

So what options do we have? As you probably have seen the ads and billboards in Kamloops, Telus is advertising 150 Mps service in Kamloops using their new technology Fibre Optic Lines. I have not been able to contact anyone in person to find out when and if they plan on servicing our community with this type of service other than talking to customer service reps that have told me to fill in the “I Want Fibre” form on the Telus Website.

I cannot promise that this will happen in the next 2-5 years although I still plan on speaking to someone at Telus that could answer that question. Until then, all that we can do as a community is to let Telus know that we want better service in our community.

Fibre has a maximum speed of 150 Mps and the cost of that speed is probably more than what you are paying now, but for what we might be paying for 3-5 Mps the comparable speed would be 15 Mps at about the same cost. There are other speeds available and the prices keep changing.

 What I am asking is that you go onto the Telus Website and fill in their form so this process will get started. I don’t know if they need a minimum number to plan to install the service or what. I just know this is what the people at Telus I have spoken to have told me to do.

Instructions 

1. Go to the Telus Bring the TELUS PureFibre network to my neighbourhood form
2. Fill out the form and submit it

You should receive a call from Telus about your request within a couple of weeks. Please ask your neighbours if they have made the request so that we get the maximum numbers for our community.

Let’s hope that with all the requests that we will get this service in our community.

Thanks,
Larry Bednarz