[Advisors] [CommunityInformaticsCanada] FW: Updates -- Association for community non-profit broadband providers -- CRTC Basic Service Objective Hearing

[James Van Leeuwen]

I'm interested... sorry I missed the initial notice (out of the country).

JvL


On May 12, 2014, at 12:22 PM, michael gurstein <gurstein at gmail.com> wrote:

> This looks like an important initiative and one worth participating in if one falls within the category of “community non-profit service provider”.
>  
> M
>  
> From: Rob McMahon [mailto:rob.mcmahon at unb.ca] 
> Sent: Monday, May 12, 2014 5:48 PM
> Subject: Updates -- Association for community non-profit broadband providers -- CRTC Basic Service Objective Hearing
>  
> Hello everyone,
> 
> A brief follow-up note about the invitation to establish an association for community non-profit service providers. This group can act as a central coalition to represent issues of common interest before the CRTC. The initial focus will be the CRTC's Basic Service Objective review (now called the Basic Telecommunications Services review), which includes a public hearing to be held in 2014-2015. The CRTC chair notes: "The activities we intend to carry out in the shorter term include...initiating a review of the basic telecommunications services required by Canadians to participate fully in the digital economy." You can read more about this review at the CRTC's recently updated 3-year plan: http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/backgrnd/plan2014.htm . The plan notes:
> 
> "The CRTC will conduct, by means of a public hearing, a comprehensive review to determine what services (e.g. voice and broadband) are required by all Canadians to fully participate in the digital economy and whether there should be changes to the subsidy regime and national contribution mechanism." 
> 
> Here is a list of groups who have expressed interest in this initiative. The group is open, so please share this information and let me know if you would like to be added as a participant. (I have not included several researchers working in this area who have also expressed interest in contributing). 
> 
> Association membership
> * Eeyou Communication Network (QC)
> * First Nations Education Council (QC)
> * Keewaytinook Okimakanak Research Institute (ON)
> * First Nations Technology Council (BC)
> * Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs (MB)
> 
> I will also set up a page on the First Mile website with information on this initiative, and send it around once it's completed. After I send this link out to the wider group, I will narrow the list to those who have indicated an interest -- let me know if you would continue to receive updates on this. 
> 
> I'll plan for a teleconference or videoconference meeting among members in the near future to determine next steps -- more information to come soon. 
> 
> Thanks, have a nice afternoon,
> 
> Rob
> 
> Post-Doctoral Fellow
> First Nations Innovation Project
> University of New Brunswick 
> Vancouver, Canada
> Phone: 778-837-1978
> Email: rob.mcmahon at unb.ca
> http://firstmile.ca
> http://fn-innovation-pn.com/
> 
> From: Rob McMahon
> Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2014 8:34 AM
> Cc: aloon at gcc.ca; franz.seibel at knet.ca; twhiteduck at cepn-fnec.com; Rob McMahon
> Subject: Invitation to join national association for community broadband
> 
> ** Please share this invitation to others who may be interested ** 
> 
> April 22, 2014
> 
> Let’s Build a National Voice for Community Broadband!
> 
> To all non-profit telecoms:
> 
> Now that the CRTC Three-Year Plan to revise its approach to telecommunications is underway, we are forming a national organization of non-profit telecoms to encourage the CRTC on our issues: advancing digital communications and media; supporting digital literacy; promoting training and capacity-building initiatives -- and making National Contribution Funds funding available so that this will happen.
> 
> We invite you to join these efforts. Building a national coalition means recognition by the CRTC as a consumer/community participant. It will make policy representations; as a non-profit association, it will be awarded costs at CRTC hearings.
> 
> We propose to build a common front that focuses on underserved consumers – people who want to access broadband services – and community organizations that want an opportunity to provide them. As an association speaking for the north, for isolated communities, for remote regions and for non-profit telecoms, it will serve a broad community that include Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal groups.
> The CRTC needs to hear a large voice, composed of a community of interest. The overall goal of the national body would be to endorse similar goals, identify common problems, and propose solutions together. Overall it would stress the concept of “service providers” as consumers -- because in the areas where non-profits exist, no-one else will provide the service.
> This organization will be a collective voice -- a national view from its members. But each member is still be free to speak to the CRTC on its own behalf; this initiative would speak for common issues and regulatory concerns.
> In the Three-Year Plan, some issues that the CRTC is seeking an opinion on include:
> Telcos frequently refuse to advance services because they say there is no “business case” to do so. We propose that instead of simply denying service, the telcos should step aside and allow non-profits to provide basic services – and be eligible for a subsidy where one is available. After all, non-profits do not have any obligation to be profitable, and there is abundant evidence that we can and do deliver services in areas where there is no “business case”. For non-profits, benefits can also be measured by spinoffs such as social and economic development -- something telcos cannot do.
> Community networks have a stronger incentive than profit-oriented corporations to provide higher-than-mandated standards or services. There is no incentive for telcos to provide more than basic services, or an array of services or a higher quality level of service; as a result, telcos limit community development of the digital economy and digital literacy. Local telecom providers have strong links to the local community and hear the requirements -- and complaints -- directly.
> This work needs to be financially sustained. The Association will propose making NCF subsidies into portable subsidies – and allow non-profit community networks to compete for them under a system where the bidders establish they can provide minimum+ services -- a measure of the social value -- while respecting Quality of Service requirements.
> CRTC Chairman Blais has spoken publicly endorsing IP technology as the best way to ensure that future needs can be addressed. It is time for a national association to encourage the Commission to re-define Basic Services to include IP services. The roll-out of new infrastructure and services in High-Cost Serving Areas provides new opportunities for economic and community development, such as providing or leasing telecommunications services.
> A national non-profit association will have a role at the policy table to present our case for non-profits to be eligible for the National Contribution Fund. We can make it happen but with upcoming hearings, we need to move quickly. 
> 
> Please respond by May 2, 2014 with your ideas on how we can advance this national voice. 
> 
> If you support this work and/or would like to be involved moving forward, contact project coordinator Rob McMahon at: rob.mcmahon at unb.ca 
> 
> Sincerely,
> 
> Alfred Loon
> Eeyou Communication Network
> 
> Tim Whiteduck
> First Nations Education Council
> 
> Franz Seibel
> Keewaytinook Okimakanak Research Institute
> 
> Rob McMahon, PhD
> First Nations Innovation Project and First Mile Project

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://victoria.tc.ca/pipermail/advisors/attachments/20140512/24c67904/attachment.html>